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59th Congress, [ 

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SENATE. 


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j Document 

( No. 147. 




JAPANESE IN THE CITY OF SAN FRANCISCO, CAL. 










MESSAGE 

FROM THE 


J yj 



TRANSMITTING 


THE FINAL REPORT OF SECRETARY METCALF ON THE SITUATION 
AFFECTING THE JAPANESE IN THE CITY OF SAN FRANCISCO, 
CAL. 


December 18, 1906.—Read; referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations, and, 
with the accompanying illustrations, ordered to be printed. 


To the Senate and House of Representatives: 

I inclose herewith for your information the final report made to 
me personally by Secretary Metcalf on the situation affecting the 
Japanese in San Francisco. The report deals with three matters of 
controversy—first, the exclusion of the Japanese children from the 
San Francisco schools; second, the boycotting of Japanese restau¬ 
rants, and, third, acts of violence committed against the Japanese. 

As to the first matter, I call your especial attention to the very 
small number of Japanese children who attend school, to the testi¬ 
mony as to the brightness, cleanliness, and good behavior of these 
Japanese children in the schools, and to the fact that, owing to their 
being scattered tbruout the city, the requirement for them all to go 
to one special school is impossible of fulfilment and means that they 
can not have school facilities. Fet me point out further that there 
would be no objection whatever to excluding from the schools any 
Japanese on the score of age. It is obviously not desirable that young 
men should go to school with children. The only point is the exclu¬ 
sion of the children themselves. The number of Japanese children 
attending the public schools in San Francisco was very small. The 
Government has already directed that suit be brought to test the 
constitutionality of the act in question; but my very earnest hope is 

A J n , ’ \ 


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2 


JAPANESE IN THE CITY OF SAN FRANCISCO, CAL. 

\ 9 o t* 

that such suit will not be necessary, and that as a matter of comity 
the citizens of San Francisco will refuse to deprive these young Japa¬ 
nese children of education and will permit them to go to the schools. 

The question as to the violence against the Japanese is most admi¬ 
rably put by Secretary Metcalf, and I have nothing to add to his state¬ 
ment. I am entirely confident that, as Secretary Metcalf says, the 
overwhelming sentiment of the State of California is for law and order 
and for the protection of the Japanese in their persons and property. 
Both the chief of police and the acting mayor of San Francisco 
assured Secretary Metcalf that everything possible would be done to 
protect the Japanese in the city. I authorized and directed Secre¬ 
tary Metcalf to state that if there was failure to protect persons and 
property, then the entire power of the Federal Government within 
the limits of the Constitution would be used promptly and vigor¬ 
ously to enforce the observance of our treaty, the supreme law of 
the land} which treaty guaranteed to Japanese residents everywhere 
in the Union full and perfect protection for their persons and prop¬ 
erty; and to this end everything in my power would be done, and 
all the forces of the United States, both civil and military, which I 
could lawfully employ, would be employed. I call especial attention 
to the concluding sentence of Secretary Metcalf’s report of 
November 26, 1906. 

Theodore Roosevelt. 

* 

The White House, 

December i8 ) 1906. 


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APPENDIX. 


November 26, 1906. 

The President: 

I have the honor to submit the following: 

In my previous report I said nothing as to the causes leading up to 
the action of the school board in passing the resolution of October 11, 
and the effect of such action upon Japanese children, residents of the 
city of San Francisco, desiring to attend the public schools of that city, 
A report on this matter will now be made, therefore; and after describing 
the local public sentiment concerning the recent disturbances with regard 
to the Japanese, an account will be given, first, of the boycott main¬ 
tained by the Cooks and Waiters Union of San Francisco against Jap¬ 
anese restaurants doing business in that city, and, second, of the several 
cases of assault or injury inflicted upon the persons or property of Jap¬ 
anese residents. 

It seems that for several years the board of education of San Francisco 
had been considering the advisability of establishing separate schools for 
Chinese, Japanese, and Korean children, and on May 6, 1905, past the 
following resolution: , 

Resolved, That the board of education is determined in its efforts to effect the 
establishment of separate schools for Chinese and Japanese pupils, not only for the 
purpose of relieving the congestion at present prevailing in our schools, but also 
for the higher end that our children should not be placed in any position where their 
youthful impressions may be affected by association with pupils of the Mongolian 
race. 

And on October 11 the board past the following resolution: 

Resolved , That in accordance with Article X, section 1662, of the school law of 
California, principals are hereby directed to send all Chinese, Japanese, or Korean 
children to the Oriental Public School, situated on the south side of Clay street, 
between Powell and Mason streets, on and after Monday, October 15, 1906. 

The action of the board in the passage of the resolutions of May 6, 
1905, and October 11, 1906, was undoubtedly largely influenced by the 
activity of the Japanese and Korean Exclusion Eeague, an organization 
formed for the purpose of securing the enactment by the Congress of the 
United States of a law extending the provisions of the existing Chinese 
exclusion act so as to exclude Japanese and Koreans. The league claims 
a membership in the State of California of 78,500, three-fourths of which 


3 


4 


JAPANESE IN THE CITY OF SAN FRANCISCO, CAL. 


membership is said to be in the city of San Francisco. The membership 
is composed almost entirely of members of labor organizations. Section 
2, article 2, of the constitution of the league is as follows: 

The league as such shall not adopt any measures of discrimination against any 
Chinese, Japanese or Koreans now or hereafter lawfully resident in the United States. 

Yet, on October 22, 1905, at a meeting of the league held in San Fran¬ 
cisco, as reported in the .San Francisco Chronicle of October 23, 1905, a 
resolution was adopted by the league instructing its executive committee 
to appear before the board of education and petition for^separate schools 
for the Mongolian children of San Francisco. 

Prior to the action of the Teague, the board of education, as I am' 
informed, received many protests from citizens of San Francisco, whose 
children were attending the public schools, against Japanese being per¬ 
mitted to attend those schools. These protests were mainly against 
Japanese boys and men ranging from 16 to 22, 23, and 24 years of age 
attending the primary grades and sitting beside little girls and boys of 7 
and 8 } 7 ears of age. When these complaints became known to Japanese 
residents, I am informed that some of the older pupils left the primary 
grades. 

On the day when the order of October 11 went into effect, viz, Octo¬ 
ber 15, there were attending the public schools of the city of San 
Francisco 93 Japanese pupils. The.se pupils were distributed among 23 
schools of the primary grades. There are eight grades in the public 
schools of San Francisco, the first grade being the lowest and the eighth 
the highest—graduates of the eighth grade going into the High School. 
Of this total of 93 pupils, 68 were born in Japan and 25 in the United 
States. Those born in the United States would, of course, under sec¬ 
tion 1 of Article XIV of the Constitution of the United States, be citi¬ 
zens of the United States and of the State wherein they reside, and as 
such subject to the laws of the Nation as well as of the State. 

The ages of the pupils attending the public schools on the day when 
the order went into effect ranged from 7 to 20 years. A list of pupils 
attending the schools, which list gives the name of each pupil, name of 
school, age of pupil, grade, place of birth, and sex, is hereto attached 
and marked “Exhibit A” (p. 15). It will be observed that those born 
in the United States occupy about the same position in the different 
grades as American children of the same age, while those born in Japan 
are very much older. It will be noted that the Japanese students were 
distributed among the grades as follows: 


JAPANESE IN THE CITY OF SAN FRANCISCO, CAL. 


5 


Grade. 


Eighth 


Seventh 
Sixth. . 


Fifth 


Fourth 


Third 


Second 


First 


Japanese born. 

Native born. 

Number. 

Age. 

Number. 

Age. 

1 

20 

1 

14 

1 

19 



2 

18 



5 

17 



X 

16 



3 

15 



1 

. 14 



2 

17 

0 

0 

X 

l6 



2 

IS 



I 

20 

1 

13 

I 

19 

1 

12 

I 

18 



4 

17 



2 

l6 



2 

is 



1 

14 



2 

18 

1 

11 

1 

17 



I 

14 



2 

IS 



2 

12 



1 

II 



2 

19 

1 

13 

1 

18 

1 

11 

1 

17 

1 

10 

1 

15 

1 

9 

3 

13 



2 

12 



I 

II 



2 

IO 



1 

16 

2 

10 

1 

15 

1 

8 

2 

12 

1 

7 

2 

8 



1 

7 



X 

10 

1 

12 

I 

9 

1 

10 



I 

Q 



4 

8 



I 

7 

I 

11 

1 

8 

I 

8 

2 

7 



2 

6 


The number of schools in San Francisco prior to April 18 was 76. Of 
this number 28 primary or grammar schools and 2 high schools were 
destroyed by fire, and 1 high school was destroyed by earthquake, leav¬ 
ing 45 schools. Since April 18 27 temporary structures have been 
erected, making the total number of school buildings at the present 
time 72. A map showing the location of the public schools in San 
Francisco attended by Japanese pupils up to the time the order of the 
board went into effect is herewith submitted, and marked “Exhibit 
B ” (p. 17). The portion of the map marked off with red ink indicates 
the burned section of San Francisco. 

The Oriental School, the school set apart for the Chinese, Japanese, 
and Korean children, is in the burned section. There is only one Jap¬ 
anese student attending this school at the present time, and there are no 
Japanese children attending any of the other public schools. I visited 
the Oriental School in company with the Japanese consul and found it 
to compare favorably with many of the new temporary structures erected 
in the city. The course of instruction is exactly the same as at the other i 
public schools, and competent teachers are assigned for duty in this 

























































6 


JAPANESE IN THE CITY OF SAN FRANCISCO, CAL. 


school. Nearly all of the pupils attending this school have to be taught 
the English language. 

An examination of the map attached hereto will at once clearly show 
that it will be absolutely impossible for children residing in the remote 
sections of the city to attend the Oriental School. The conditions in 
San Francisco are such, owing to the great conflagration, that it would 
not be possible even for grown children living at remote distances to 
attend this school. If the action of the board stands, then, and if no 
schools are provided in addition to the one mentioned, it seems that a 
number of Japanese children will be prevented from attending the public 
schools and will have to resort to private instruction. 

I found the sentiment in the State very strong against Japanese young 
men attending the primary grades. Many of the people were outspoken 
in their condemnation of this course, saying that they would take 
exactly the same stand against American young men of similar ages 
attending the primary grades. I am frank to say that this objection 
seems to me a most reasonable one. All of the political parties in the 
State have inserted in their platforms planks in favor of Japanese and 
Korean exclusion, and on March 7, 1905, the State legislature past a 
joint resolution urging that action be taken by treaty or otherwise to 
limit and diminish the further immigration of Japanese laborers into the 
United States. 

The press of San Francisco pretty generally upholds the action of the 
board of education. Of the attitude of the more violent and radical 
newspapers it is unnecessary to speak further than to say that their tone 
is the usual tone of hostility to “Mongol hordes,” and the burden of 
their claim is that Japanese are no better than Chinese, and that the 
same reasons which dictated the exclusion of the Chinese call for the 
exclusion of the Japanese as well. 

The temper and tone of the more conservative newspapers may better 
be illustrated by an epitome of their argument upon the public school 
question. That argument practically is as follows: The public schools 
of California are a State and not a Federal institution. The State has 
the power to abolish those schools entirely, and the Federal Government 
would have no right to lift its voice in protest. Upon the other hand, 
the State may extend the privileges of its schools to aliens upon such 
terms as it, the State, may elect, and the Federal Government has no 
right to question its action in this regard. Primarily and essentially the 
public schools are designed for the education of the citizens of the State. 
The State is interested in the education of its own citizens alone. It 
would not for a moment maintain this expensive institution to edu¬ 
cate foreigners and aliens who would carry to their countries the fruits of 
such education. Therefore, if it should be held that there was a dis¬ 
crimination operating in violation of the treaty with Japan in the State’s 
treatment of Japanese children, or even if a new treaty with Japan should 


JAPANESE IN THE CITY OF SAN FRANCISCO, CAL. 


7 


be framed which would contain on behalf of Japanese subjects the 

most-favored-nation' ’ clause, this could and would be met by the 
State, which would then exclude from the use of its public schools all 
alien children of every nationality and limit the rights of free education 
to children of its own citizens, for whom the system is primarily designed 
and maintained, and if the State should do this the Federal Government 
could not complain, since no treaty right could be violated when the 
children of Japanese were treated precisely as the children of all foreign 
nations. 

The feeling in the State is further intensified, especially in labor cir¬ 
cles, by the report on the conditions in the Hawaiian Islands as con¬ 
tained in Bulletin 66 of the Bureau of Tabor, Department of Commerce 
and Tabor. The claim is made that white labor has been almost entirely 
driven from the Hawaiian Islands, and that the Japanese are gradually 
forcing even the small white traders out of business. 

Many of the foremost educators in the State, on the other hand, 
are strongly opposed to the action of the San Francisco Board of 
Education. Japanese are admitted to the University of California, an 
institution maintained and supported by the State. They are also 
admitted to, and gladly welcomed at, Stanford University. San Fran¬ 
cisco, so far as known, is the only city which has discriminated 
against Japanese children. I talked with a number of prominent labor 
men and they all said that they had no objection to Japanese children 
attending the primary grades; that they wanted Japanese children now 
in the United States to have the same school privileges as children of 
other nations, but that they were unalterably opposed to Japanese young 
men attending the primary grades. 

The objection to Japanese men attending the primary grades could 
very readily be met by a simple rule limiting the ages of all children 
attending those grades. All of the teachers with whom I talked while 
in San Francisco spoke in the highest terms of the Japanese children, 
saying that they were among the very best of their pupils, cleanly in 
their persons, well behaved, studious, and remarkably bright. 

The board of education of San Francisco declined to rescind its resolu¬ 
tion of October n, claiming that, having established a separate school 
for Chinese, Japanese, and Korean children, the provisions of section 
1662 of the political code became mandatory. 

BOYCOTT. 

A boycott was maintained in San Francisco from October 3 to Octo¬ 
ber 24 by members of the Cooks and Waiters’ Union against Japanese 
restaurants doing business in that city. Nearly all of the leaders of 
labor organizations in San Francisco, interviewed on this subject, dis¬ 
claimed any knowledge of any formal action being taken for the boy¬ 
cotting of these restaurants. They admitted, however, that there was 


8 


JAPANESE IN THE CITY OF SAN FRANCISCO, CAL. 


a decided sentiment in the unions against patronizing Japanese restau¬ 
rants, and that that sentiment was created and fostered by speeches in 
union meetings and by personal action of the different members, with 
the object of not only preventing union labor men, but the public as 
well, from patronizing these restaurants. 

The secretary, as also the business agent, of the Waiters’ Union, Local 
No. 30, headquarters at 1195 Scott street, San Francisco, sgftd that no 
resolution against Japanese restaurants had been past by their union, 
but that it was urged in their meetings and by different members of the 
union to themselves refrain, and to keep the public as well, from patron¬ 
izing such restaurants; that for three weeks in the early part of October 
men were emplo>ed by the Cooks and Waiters’ Union to stand in fi?6nt 
of Japanese restaurants on Third street and distribute match boxes on 
which was pasted a label as follows: “ White men and women, patron¬ 
ize your own race; ” that this was not, strictly speaking, a boycott, as^ a 
boycott must be instituted thru the labor council. 

Perhaps a better idea of the feeling in labor organizations against the 
Japanese restaurants and the methods that were resorted to for the pur¬ 
pose of preventing white people from patronizing those restaurants can 
be gained by reading the following extract from the minutes of the 
meeting of the executive board of the Japanese and Korean Exclusion 
League, as reported in the San Francisco Chronicle of June 25, 1906: 

TO SEND PROTEST TO EABOR UNIONS—EXCLUSION LEAGUE COMPLAINS THAT WHITE 

MEN EAT IN JAPANESE RESTAURANTS. 

The executive board of the Japanese and Korean Exclusion League at the meeting 
held Saturday evening listened to complaints that many wage-earners, laborers, and 
mechanics patronize Japanese restaurants, while eating houses conducted by white 
persons are as easy of access and more inviting than those of the Mongolians. Sec¬ 
retary Yoell was instructed to communicate with all central labor bodies in this city, 
informing them of that state of affairs—apprizing them of the fact that among the 
patrons of Japanese restaurants are supposed to be men who hold membership in 
unions affiliated with central councils. 

The league requests the councils to urge upon all affiliated unions to enforce the 
penalties imposed by their laws for patronizing Japanese or Chinese. The league 
also offers to supply proof of the flagrant violations complained of, and proposes to 
have the offenders photographed in order to submit copies of the photographs to the 
central councils and thru them to their affiliated unions. In this way the league 
hopes to accomplish a double purpose—to deter union men from patronizing Asiatics, 
or establish the fact that the offenders are not union men, and thus refute what is 
said to be a persistent slander against union men. 

The attention of councils and unions is also to be directed to the fact that many 
berries sold in San Francisco are grown and shipped to market by Japanese and Chi¬ 
nese, and wage-earners are to be cautioned against the danger of their health and 
that of their families in eating berries picked and packed by unclean and unhealthy 
Asiatics. 

The plans for holding a series of mass meetings in coast and interior towns in 
California were discust at length, but final arrangements were deferred until the 
project shall be approved by the league, which wifi hold its next convention on 
Sunday, July 1. 


JAPANESE IN THE CITY OF SAN FRANCISCO, CAL. 


9 


As a matter of fact, a most effective boycott was maintained against 
nearly all of the Japanese restaurants located in San Francisco for a 
period of at least three weeks. Pickets were stationed in front of these 
restaurants and every effort was made to prevent people from patroniz¬ 
ing them. At times stones were thrown and windows broken, and in 
one or two instances the proprietors of the restaurants were struck by 
these stones. 

I personally interviewed the restaurant keepers and took down their 
statements. George Sugihara, a restaurant keeper at 177 Third street, 
stated that the boycott commenced on October 3 and continued until 
October 24; that on the first day the boycotters distributed match boxes 
on which was written ‘ ‘ White men and women, patronize your own race; * ’ 
that at about noon of the second day a large number of men came to his 
place of business and asked the people who were about to enter his res¬ 
taurant not to patronize the Japanese restaurants; that customers attempt¬ 
ing to enter his place of business were sometimes restrained by force, and 
that blows were also struck; that on or about the 10th or 15th of the 
month the boycotters came three times a day—morning, noon, and even¬ 
ing; that sometimes they threw bricks and stones into his place; that 
one of the waiters asked them the reason why they did these things and 
they replied, “Ask the policeman;” that it was very seldom that a police¬ 
man was seen on the scene; that he complained to the policeman on the 
beat; that sometimes the policeman spoke to the boycotters and 
appeared to be friendly with them; that whenever a policeman appeared 
who was unfriendly to the boycotters the boycotters left; that on one 
occasion when he asked the boycotters how long they intended to keep 
up the boycott they replied, “Until the end—until the Japanese give up 
their business, pack up their goods, and return to the place whence they 
came.’’ 

Mr. Sugihara also said that there was an agreement to pay the boy¬ 
cotters for the purpose of declaring the boycott off; that all the facts 
were known to Mr. S. Imura, president of the Japanese union, and that 
the proposition to pay cash to the Cooks and Waiters’ Union was made 
by Mr. Imura, representing the Japanese union, and that the amount 
to be paid was $350; that he, Sugihara, did not know the name of the 
person to whom the money was to be paid; that he was present on Octo¬ 
ber 25 or 26, when $100 of the $350 was paid; that he saw the money 
paid; that it was paid by Imura, as president of the Japanese union; 
that he did not know the name of the man to whom the money was paid, 
but would recognize him if he saw him again. 

The windows of the Golden Gate restaurant, H. Sugiyama, proprietor, 
256 Third street, were broken on October 17 or 18. Mr. Sugiyama 
stated that whenever any customers left his place the boycotters threw 
stones at them, and struck them as well; that his customers were all 
white people; that it was impossible for him to stand at the cash register 


10 


JAPANESE IN THE CITY OF SAN FRANCISCO, CAL. 


near his window, as they broke his windows; that one of the stones 
struck him on the side; that on the first day of the boycott he went to the 
Japanese consul and applied for assistance, and that the consul said he 
would write a letter to the chief of police; that on the second day he went 
to police headquarters, at the corner of Pine and Larkin streets; that he 
did not remember the name of the officer whom he saw, but that he was 
directed by that officer to go to the southern station; that three or four 
days after his visit to the police station a special policeman and the reg¬ 
ular policeman on the beat came to his place at the noon hour and 
remained from 12 to 1 and watched the place; that there was no violence 
after the policemen came, but that the men with the match boxes were 
always there; that when the policemen came there were five or six of the 
boycotters present at the noon hour. 

S. Imura, proprietor of the White Star restaurant, 596 Third street, cor¬ 
roborated the statements made by George Sugihara and H. Sugiyama as 
to the breaking of windows and assaulting of customers. Y. Kobayashi, 
restaurant keeper at 20 Ellis street, stated that his restaurant was boy¬ 
cotted for three days only. I. Kawai, restaurant keeper at 1213 Folson 
street, stated that his restaurant was boycotted for twenty-one days. 
M. Shigegawa, of 336 Third street, stated that his restaurant was boy¬ 
cotted for three weeks. Y. Noda, of 1905 Geary street, stated that his 
restaurant was boycotted for about a month. G. Nishi, of 1625 O’Far¬ 
rell street, stated that his restaurant was bo)^cotted for four days. R. 
Tamura, of 705 Larkin street, stated that his restaurant was boycotted 
for two days, and O. Matsumodo, of 1469 Ellis street, stated that his 
restaurant was boycotted for two days. 

These restaurant keepers were all examined by me at the Japanese con¬ 
sulate in San Francisco. They all said that they were not assaulted by 
the boycotters, but that the efforts of the boycotters were mainly directed 
toward preventing customers from entering their places of business. 
The restaurant keeper who was struck with the stone said that he did 
not think the stone was thrown at him, but that it was thrown for the 
purpose of smashing the windows and frightening his customers. 

It appears that the Japanese restaurant keepers of San Francisco have 
a union of their own, of which S. Imura is president. They made 
application, so they say, to the Cooks and Waiters’ Union of San Fran¬ 
cisco for admission to membership in that union, but their application 
was denied. After the boycott had been maintained for a few days the 
Japanese restaurant keepers held a meeting for the purpose of discussing 
the boycott and of devising some way of stopping it. They discust first 
the obtaining of an injunction, and appointed a committee. This com¬ 
mittee visited the Japanese-American Association located in San Fran¬ 
cisco and asked the association to consult a lawyer. They were informed 
that a test case would cost $500, and that if the test case failed it would 
cost each restaurant keeper $200 for each case tried. 


JAPANESE IN THE CITY OF SAN FRANCISCO, CAL. 


11 


A second meeting of the Japanese restaurant keepers was then held, 
at which the matter was again discust. The impression seemed to 
prevail that even if an injunction was obtained it would take too long, 
cost too much money and be ineffective. They then determined to pay 
money to the boy cotters and appointed a committee for that purpose. 
The committee consisted of S. Imura, G. Sugihara, Y. Kobayashi, and 
Mr. Nakashima. The sum of $350 was collected by this committee from 
the restaurant keepers, in amounts ranging from $17.50 to $25. An 
arrangement was entered into with the leader of the boycotters, whose 
name was only known to S. Imura, for the payment of the sum of $350 
for the purpose of declaring the boycott off. Imura declined to give the 
name of the man to whom the money was paid, claiming that he had 
promised not to do so, but if necessary he would furnish the name to the 
Japanese consul. 

Before leaving San Francisco the consul informed me that W. S. 
Stevenson was the man to whom the money was paid. One hundred 
dollars was paid by check at the Japanese-American Bank on Sutter 
street in San Francisco, the check being made payable to the order of 
W. S. Stevenson. There were present at the time this check was paid, 
S. Imura, G. Sugihara, and some members, so Imura said, of the bank, 
probably clerks. The balance of $250 agreed upon was to have been 
paid on Monday, October 29, but the man Stevenson did not call for 
the money, and I was informed that it had not been paid up to the time 
of my departure from San Francisco. The boycott stopt with the pay¬ 
ment of the money. 

All of the restaurant keepers united in stating that their business 
had fallen off at least two-thirds during the period of the boycott. The 
correspondence between the Japanese consul and the chief of police is 
hereto attached and marked “Exhibit D” (p. 31). 

There have been a number of boycotts of white restaurants in San 
Francisco, Oakland, and other cities in California in the past five or six 
years growing out of labor disputes. These boycotts have been main¬ 
tained for weeks at a time, and during their maintenance threats have 
been made and acts of violence have been committed. Pickets have 
been stationed in front of the restaurants and the names even of cus¬ 
tomers entering the restaurants have been taken down and reported. 

I saw the chief of police, as also H. H. Colby, captain of police in 
charge of the district in which most of the Japanese restaurants are 
located, and was informed by both of these officers that as soon as their 
attention was called to the disturbances on Third street, officers were 
detailed at each of the Japanese reastaurants at each meal hour, and that 
the officers were instructed to arrest if any violation of the law was com¬ 
mitted, and that after the officers were so stationed there were no dis¬ 
turbances or violations of the law. 

The chief of police assured me that every effort would be made by 


12 


JAPANESE IN THE CITY OF SAN FRANCISCO, CAL. 


him to protect the Japanese restaurants in San Francisco, and that all 
violators of the law would be promptly arrested and punished. The 
acting mayor of San Francisco also assured me that he would cooperate 
with the police department of the city, and would see that everything 
possible was done to protect Japanese subjects and prevent violations 
of law. 

I am satisfied, from inquiries made by me and from statements made 
to me by the Japanese restaurant keepers, that the throwing of stones and 
breaking of windows was not done by the men picketing the restaurants, 
but by young men and boys who had gathered in front of the restaurants 
as soon as the boycott was instituted. 

assaults. 

Assaults have from time to time been made upon Japanese subjects 
resident in the city of San Francisco. I was informed by the chief of 
police that upon receipt of a communication from the Japanese cousul 
he at once instructed captains of police to make every effort to stop these 
assaults, and, if necessary, to assign men in citizens’ clothes to accom¬ 
plish the purpose. The correspondence between the Japanese consul and 
the chief of police and the acting mayor of the city is hereto attached 
and marked “Exhibit E” (p. 33). 

I deemed it best, in order to get at the exact facts, to take the state¬ 
ments of the Japanese who claimed to have been assaulted. These state¬ 
ments were taken at the Japanese consulate in San Francisco by Mr. 
J. S. McD. Gardner, interpreter in the immigration service at San Fran¬ 
cisco, and Mr. K. Kawasaki, a Japanese student in the senior class of 
the University of California. Since these statements are in the words of 
the victims themselves and show, as nothing else could, such grounds 
as there are upon which to found a complaint of violence, they are here 
given in full: 

S. InaTSU, 121 Haight street. I am a student and a member of the Japanese 
Y. M. C. A. On October 28, at 7.15 p. m., I was attacked on the corner of Laguna 
and Haight streets by about eight young men, from 18 to 20 years of age; they 
rushed up behind me and struck me in the face and then ran away. I looked around 
for a policeman, but could not find one. I went to the Y. M. C. A. and was treated 
by the doctor there. I made complaint about the matter to the Japanese association, 
but not to the police department. 

T. Kadono, 121 Haight street. I am a student and a member of the Japanese 
Y. M. C. A. On the 5th day of August, 1906, on Laguna street, between Haight and 
Page streets, at 10.40 a. in., on my way to church, I was attacked by about 30 people, 
men ranging from 15 to 25 years of age. They followed me down the street and 
beat me over the head and face with their fists. I tried to resist them, but they were 
too strong for me. They made my nose bleed. I went to St. Thomas Hospital for 
medical treatment. I complained to the superintendent of the Japanese Presby¬ 
terian Mission and was advised by him not to make any complaint to the police. I 
was laid up for a week on account of this attack. I have the blood-stained shirt, 
which I can produce if necessary. 


JAPANESE IN THE CITY OF SAN FRANCISCO, CAL. 


13 


C. ObaTa, 1823 Sutter street. I am an artist. On September 20, 1906, at about 
1-45 P- m M 011 Sutter street, between Pierce and Steiner, in front of the skating rink, 
as I was on my way home, I was attacked by about twelve young men, rangingfrom 
16 to 20 years of age. They beat me and threw bricks and stones at me. I picked 
up a stick and started to go for them, and then they ran away, three of them falling 
down as they ran. A special policeman came along at this time, and the people told 
him that I knocked the three people over; so he took me to the police court, where 
I was dismissed. This finished the case. I was released on bail, as I had been 
arrested for disturbing the peace. 

I. Ikeda, 1608 Geary street. I have a fruit store. About a month ago—October 
5, 1906—some bad boys came to my store and stole fruit and threw stones into the 
store. On September 2, 1906, down in the wholesale district (I do not know the 
name of the street), as I was driving my wagon some men started to throw fruit at 
me, then pieces of brick, hitting my back. The reins of my rig got loose, and I was 
obliged to stop and get down to fix them. I had no sooner gotten down than some¬ 
body came up and hit me in the face, and gave me a black eye. I made complaint 
about this to the Japanese association. I could identify the man who hit me. 

K. Kai, 1815 Sutter street. I have a provision store, Masu & Co. On Septem¬ 
ber 6,-1906, about twenty young men from 18 to 21 years of age came to my store 
and stole a bunch of bananas. My clerk, S. Ichishita, ran after them and asked 
them what they were doing. Whereupon some of them turned on him and beat him 
so badly that he was laid up in bed for two days. On the 8th of September, 1906, 
as a white person was buying fruit in my store, someone threw a stone into the store, 
which hit my wife on the leg and hurt her quite badly. I made complaint about 
this to the Japanese association. 

S. Ikusa, 578 Cedar avenue. I am a restaurant keeper. On August 29, 1906, 
about 8 p. m., some children, about sixteen of them, stood in front of my restaurant 
and broke the windows; they then pulled down my sign and ran away with it. I 
made complaint about this to the Japanese association. 

Y. Sasaki, 12 i Haight street. I am a member of the Japanese Y. M. C. A. and 
a student. On August 8 or 9, at 4 p. m., at the corner of Steiner and Sutter streets, 
I was attacked by about ten young men, ranging from 16 to 20 years of age, who 
were playing baseball. They called me bad names, and when I paid no attention to 
them they threw the baseball at me, but mist me. They then ran after me and beat 
me over the head and on the face, causing my nose to bleed and stunning me. 
Then they ran away. I lookt for a policeman, but could not find any, so returned 
home. I made no official complaint of this to anyone. 

Y. FujiTa, 121 Haight street. I am a student and a member of the Japanese 
Y. M. C. A. On August 18, 1906, at about 11.30 a. m., on the corner of Haight and 
Lyon streets, about eight young men, ranging from 18 to 22 years of age, threw 
stones at me, but mist me. They ran after me and beat me on the head, knocking 
me down. Some people on the street saw this and offered to help me. When the 
young fellows saw this they ran away. I met a policeman and complained to him. 
I do not remember the policeman’s number, but he told me that he would help me, 
and took my name and address; but as the young men had run away he let the 
matter drop. 

K. Kimura, 121 Haight street. I am a student and a member of the Japanese 
Y. M. C. A. On September 6, 1906, at 11.30 a. m. on Webster street, between Haight 
and Walla streets, as I was walking along, five young men, about 18 years of age, 
stuck a big stick, about 6 or 7 feet long, between my legs and lifted me up, throwing 
me on my face and cutting my mouth badly. After I had fallen they ran away. I 
made no official complaint of this to anyone. 

R. Koba, 1274 O’Farrell street. I am secretary of the Japanese association of 
San Francisco. On August 16, 1906, at 9 p. m., as I was walking up Post street and 


14 


JAPANESE IN THE CITY OF SAN FRANCISCO, CAL. 


had turned into Laguna street, three unknown men jumped out of the darkness of 
Cedar avenue and hit me on the neck from behind two or three times. I stopt, and 
started to fight them back. One of them tried to hit me in the face, but mist; then 
one of them drew a revolver and threatened me. Just at this time some friends of 
mine came along, and the three men ran away. I reported this attack to the chief of 
police next morning, and he told me that he was very sorry and would try his best 
hereafter to protect the Japanese. 

Y. Shinohara, corner Eleventh avenue and Fulton street. I work in a saloon. 
On September 15, 1906, at 10 p. m., on Sutter street, near Webster, three men, rang¬ 
ing from 26 to 30 years of age, grabbed me and knocked me down, and then ran 
away. I was not badly hurt, so went home and went to bed. I did not make any 
complaint about this matter to anyone. 

N. AkaGi, 115 Church street. I have a furniture store. On October 20, 1906, at 
7 o’clock p. m., on Page street, between Steiner and Pierce streets, as I was deliver¬ 
ing goods to my customers, two young men, about 17 or 18 years of age, knocked the 
merchandise out of my hands and slapped my face. I took no action, and did not 
report this case to the police. 

On October 30 I applied to Weidenthal & Goslinger, electrical workers, 151 
Church street, to make electrical connections at my store. On November 3 the 
manager of the establishment flatly refused, saying that he was a member of the 
Japanese and Korean Exclusion League and could not work in a Japanese establish¬ 
ment ; otherwise he said he would be fined $50 by the league. On this account my 
store is still without electrical connections. 

I. Takayama, 1401 Scott street. I am a laundrvman. On September 12, 1906, as 
I was on my route delivering, at the corner of Laguna and Eddy streets, about 11 
a. m., 4 men, aged from 27 to 36 years, with gas pipes about 4 feet long, accosted 
me and struck my wagon with such force that 2 holes, about 3 by 4 inches, were 
made in my wagon. They threatened me with bodily violence and I hurried away. 

About a month ago, as I was delivering laundry work on Scott street, 70 or 80 
school children threw stones at my wagon, like stones of rain, and several holes 
were made. So continuous was this act on the part of the school children that I 
desisted from calling in that section of the city, thereby losing seven or eight cus¬ 
tomers. On September 9, on O’Farrell street, near Laguna, several hoodlums attacked 
my person, as well as Mr. Kawasaki, of the Japanese association. This was about 2.30 
p. m. The matter was reported to the police department. For the last three or four 
weeks they have annoyed me continuously at my place of residence. During the 
afternoon or in the middle of the night rotten fruit, stones, etc., have been thrown 
into my shop. The night watch has not been very effective. I did not report this 
case to the police. 

G. N. TsukamoTO, 3500 Twenty-third street. I am proprietor of the Sunset City 
Laundry. Soon after the earthquake the persecutions became intolerable. My 
drivers were constantly attacked on the highway, my place of business defiled by 
rotten eggs and fruit; windows were smashed several times. I was forced to hire, 
on September 6, two special policemen at great expense, and for fully two weeks 
was obliged to maintain the .service. The miscreants are generally young men, 17 
or 18 years old. Whenever newspapers attack the Japanese these roughs renew 
their misdeeds with redoubled energy. 

S. Takata, 1158 Haight street. I am a lodging-house keeper. On August 28, 
1906, about 9 p. m., my window was smashed by a person or persons unknown. 
Again on August 30, about up. m., some one broke my large front window. I 
reported these incidents to the Japanese Association, but not to the police. 

T. Tamura, 1612 Laguna street. I have an employment office in San Francisco. 
On August 5, about 7 p. m., a large number of youngsters past thru the streets 
with drums and trumpets denouncing Japanese. One hour later a gang of rough 


JAPANESE IN THE CITY OE SAN FRANCISCO, CAL. 


15 


looking laborers, thirty or forty strong, came to my place and smashed my windows. 

I telephoned to the police department several times, but to no avail. On the after¬ 
noon of the succeeding day a policeman called and inquired what was the matter. 
That same night all the remaining windows were completely broken by persons 
unknown to me. 

' M. Sugawa, 1722a Devisadero street. I am a shoemaker. O11 August 17, 1906, 
at 8.40 p. m., as I was passing on Sutter street, near Scott, three boys, 21 or 22 years 
of age, attacked my person. I nearly fainted. Upon rising to my feet they again 
assaulted me. This time they smashed my nose. I grabbed the coat of one of the 
trio, and after having my nose dressed at one of the nearby hospitals, I went home. 
The next day a policeman came, requesting me to give up the coat. I at first refused, 
but finally, upon his assuring me that it would be deposited at the police station, I 
gave it up. I reported the matter to the police. When the case came up for trial 
the youngster was dismissed on the plea of insufficiency of evidence. 

Dr. S. Hashimoto, 1615 Gough street. I am a physician. Toward the end of 
August, as I was on my way to visit a patient, in a great hurry, I was surrounded, 
on Castro street near Market, by a group of boys, ranging in years from 15 to 25. 
The number was soon increased to fifty. Seeing the situation was hopeless I ran 
with all my might. I was struck on the leg by a flying missile and my valise was 
injured. I did not report the case to the police. 

I. Ikuda, 1608 Geary street. I am a clerk in a Japanese store. On November 2, 
1906, as I was driving my wagon on Davis street, between Vallejo and Broadway, 
five or six laborers, apparently over 28 years old, appeared from the baggage cars 
and threw potatoes and eggplants at me and my horse. Soon they began throwing 
pieces of brick, and I was forced to turn back a block or so. Since September 8 
such incidents occurred five times. None of these events were reported to the police 
because it would be of no avail. 

These attacks, so I am informed, with but one exception were made 
when no policeman was in the immediate neighborhood. Most of them 
were made by boys and young men; many of them were vicious in char¬ 
acter, and only one appears to have been made with a view of robbing 
the person attacked. All these assaults appear to have been made sub¬ 
sequent to the fire and earthquake in San Francisco, and my attention 
was not called to any assaults made prior to the 18th day of April, 1906. 

Dr. F. Omori, of the Imperial University of Tokoo, one of the world’s 
most distinguished scientists, and, as stated by Prof. George Davidson, 
of the University of California, one of the greatest living authorities in 
seismography, sent to San Francisco by the Japanese Government to 
study the causes and effects of the earthquake, was stoned by hoodlums 
in the streets of San Francisco. Prof. T. Nakamura, professor of archi¬ 
tecture in the Imperial University of Tokyo, was also stoned in the 
streets of San Francisco by young toughs and hoodlums. Doctor Omori 
was also assaulted when visiting Eureka, Cal. Neither of these eminent 
gentlemen made formal complaint of these assaults, and wisht that no 
official recognition be taken of them. I attach hereto copy of letter of 
Professor Davidson, calling the attention of the press of San Francisco 
to these assaults, as also copies of letters of the postmaster of San Fran¬ 
cisco, the mayor of San Francisco, the governor of the State, and the 


16 


JAPANESE IN THE CITY OF SAN FRANCISCO, CAL. 


mayor of Eureka, expressing their great regret for these assaults and 
apologizing that they should have been made. See Exhibit F (p. 36). 

I know that these assaults upon the Japanese are universally con¬ 
demned by all good citizens of California. For months the citizens of 
San Francisco and Oakland have been terrorized by numerous murders, 
assaults, and robberies, both at day and night. The police have been 
powerless. The assaults upon the Japanese, however, were not made, 
in my judgment, with a view of robbery, but rather from a feeling of 
racial hostility, stirred up possibly by newspaper accounts of meetings 
that have been held at different times relative to the exclusion of Japanese 
from the United States. 

The police records of San Francisco show that between May 6, 1906, 
and November 5, 1906, 290 cases of assault, ranging from simple 
assaults to assaults with deadly weapons and assaults with murderous 
intent, were reported to the police of San Francisco. Of the number so 
reported, seven were for assaults committed by Japanese, and two com¬ 
plaints were made against Japanese for disturbing the peace. The Japa¬ 
nese population in San Francisco is about 6,000. The total population 
of San Francisco to-day is estimated to be between 325,000 and 350,000. 

While the sentiment of the State of California, as manifested by the 
public utterances of the Japanese and Korean Exclusion Eeague, by 
articles in many of the leading newspapers in the State, by declarations 
of the political parties in their platforms, and b}^ the passage of a joint 
resolution by the State legislature on March 7, 1905, is in favor of the 
exclusion of Japanese coolies, yet the overwhelming sentiment in the 
State is for law and order and for the protection of Japanese in their 
persons and their property. 

The chief of police of the city of San Francisco, as also the acting 
mayor of the city, assured me that everything possible would be done 
to protect the Japanese subjects in San Francisco, and they urgently 
requested that all cases of assault and all violations of law affecting the 
Japanese be at once reported to the chief of police. 

I imprest very strongly upon the acting mayor of the city, as also 
upon the chief of police, the gravity of the situation, and told them 
that, as officers charged with the enforcement of the law and the protec¬ 
tion of property and person, you lookt to them to see that all Japanese 
subjects resident in San Francisco were afforded the full protection 
guaranteed to them by our treaty with Japan. I also informed them 
that if the local authorities were not able to cope with the situation, or 
if they were negligent or derelict in the performance of their duty, 

then the entire power of the Federal Government within the limits of the Constitu¬ 
tion would be used, and used promptly and vigorously, to enforce observance of 
treaties, which, under the Constitution, are the supreme law of the land, and to 
secure fit and proper treatment for the people of a great and friendly power while 
within the territory of the United States. 


JAPANESE IN THE CITY OF SAN FRANCISCO, CAL. 


17 


If, therefore, the police power of San Francisco is not sufficient to 
meet the situation and guard and protect Japanese residents in San 
Francisco, to whom under our treaty with Japan we guarantee “full 
and perfect protection for their persons and property,” then, it seems to 
me, it is clearly the duty of the Federal Government to afford such pro¬ 
tection. All considerations which may move a nation, every considera¬ 
tion of duty in the preservation of our treaty obligations, every consid¬ 
eration prompted by fifty years or more of close friendship with the 
Empire of Japan, would unite in demanding, it seems to me, of the 
United States Government and all its people, the fullest protection and 
the highest consideration for the subjects of Japan. 

Respectfully submitted. 

V. H. Metcalf. 


Exhibit A. — List ofJapanese pupils mentioned on page 16 of this communication . 


Name of pupil. 

Name of school. 

Age. 

Grade. 

Place of birth. 

Sex. 

Joe Tsukamoto. 

Agassiz primary. 

9 

Second ... 

United .States .... 

Boy. 

Minie Tsukamoto. 

.GO . 

8 

.do .... 

.do ... 

Girl. 

George Tsukamoto ... 

.do. 

IT 

Fourth .. . 

Japan . 

Boy. 

Hideo Okamoto. 

Columbia grammar. 

12 

.do .... 

.do. 

Do. 

G Mitani. 

Clement grammar. 

Q 

Second ... 

.do. 

Do. 

K Furukawa. 

.do. . 

17 

Eighth ... 

.do. 

Do. 

G Vamakawa.. 

. . .do. 

17 

.do .... 

.do. 

Do. 

Y. Niita. 

Crocker grammar. 

20 

Sixth. 

.do. 

Do. 

B Takenaka. 

.do.;.. 

IS 

... do. 

.do. 

Do. 

T-T Se^a wa 

Denman grammar. 

IS 

Eighth ... 

.do. 

Girl. 

T Takahashi . 

.do. 

II 

Fifth. 

.do. 

Do. 

TT Takashi. 

.do .. 

IT 

... do . ... 

.do. 

Do. 

F Fnsaye . . 

. .do. 

16 

Sixth. 

.do. 

Do. 

O Okawara 

Dudley Stone primary. 

IO 

Third .... 

U nited States .... 

Do. 

AT Olcawara . 

. .do. 

7 

First . 

... .do. 

Do. 

TT A m Pin i vfl . 

. do. 

16 

Third .... 

Japan . 

Boy. 

T T i m a p a 

.. do. 

IQ 

Fourth .. . 

.do. 

Do. 

T TVTatsnda . 

.do. 

18 

.do .... 

.do. 

Do. 

J Kirmohima. . 

. .do. 

is 

.do.... 

.do. 

Do. 

AT TTavashi 

Emerson primary. 

10 

.do.... 

United States .... 

Do. 

TT TT n vfl sTi i 

. .do. 

7 

Second ... 

.do. 

Do. 

K Izaki 

Fremont grammar. 

16 

Eighth ... 

Japan . 

Do. 

Is 1y.eri . 

.do. 

16 

Seventh .. 

.do ..,. 

Do. 

T 7 

. .do. 

17 

.do ... . 

.do. 

Bov. 

H Ota 

Grant primary. 

16 

.do .... 

.do. 

Girl. 


Hamilton grammar. 

is 

Eighth ... 

.do. 

Boy. 

~K Havaslii . 

.do. 

12 

Sixth .... 

United States .... 

Do. 

T AJifl Irn cre\ Ui 

. do. 

17 

Fifth. 

Japan . 

Do. 

AT ATnTrai 

.do. .... 

17 

Sixth .... 

... .do. 

Do. 

TT K'flwflmnrfl 

. .do. 

16 

Seventh . . 


Do. 


Hears! grammar. 

17 

.do ... 

.do. 

Do. 


do . 

14 

Sixth. 

.do. 

Girl. 

JZ Tnfrasflki 

, . .do. 

H 

Fifth. 

United States .... 

Boy. 


. do. 

17 

Eighth ... 

Japan . 

Do. 

H Tncrasaki 

.... do. 

8 

Third .... 

United States .... 

Girl. 


Henry Durant primary. 

17 

Sixth. 

Japan . 

Bov. 

Tmikflmnto . 

Horace Mann, grammar. 

IT 

... .do .... 

United States .... 

Do. 


James T,iek prammar. 

14 

Eighth... 

.do. 

Girl. 


. do. 

IS 

Third .... 

Tapan. 

Bov. 


John Swet grammar. 

IS 

Sixth. 

.do. 

Do. 

T Tanaka 

do . 

14 

Fifth. 

... .do. 

Do. 


T acrnna Honda nrimarv. 

12 

Fourth . .. 

.do. 

Do. 


do . 

IQ 

.do ... . 

.do. 

. Do. 

T Tanaka 

Noe Valley primary. 

II 

.do ... . 

United States .... 

Girl. 


Pacific HeiVht pram mar. 

15 

Seventh . . 

Japan . 

Do. 

TT Qn tr» 

_do. 

18 

Fifth. 

.do. 

Boy. 


do . 

17 

Fourth .. . 

.do. 

Do. 


do . 

16 

Eighth ... 


Do. 


do . 

16 

.do .... 


Do. 


do . 

is 

.do... . 

.do. 

Do. 


do . 

lS 

.do .... 

.do. 

Do. 

T-T ITitflhflrn 

do . . 

12 

Third .... 

... Ado .... 

Girl. 

M. Arimura. j 


12 

.do .... 

.do. 

Boy. 


S. Doc. 147 , 59 - 2 - 








































































































































































































































18 JAPANESE IN THE CITY OF SAN FRANCISCO, CAL. 

Exhibit A. —List ofJapanese pupils mentioned on this page of this communication — 

Continued. 


Name of pupil. 

Name of school. 

Age. 

Grade. 

Place of birth. 

Sex. 

TV 

Pari fir Height grammar. 

17 

Sixth. 

Tapan . 

Boy. 

O Tori n \ . 

do. 

17 

.do ... . 

.do. 

Uo. 

T Itow 

_do. 

l6 

.do .... 

.do. 

Do. 

Y Ochi 

. .do. 

18 

.do .... 

.do. 

Do. 

T Kim lira 

.... do. 

18 

Fifth. 

.do. 

Do. 

S Olio. 

.. do. 

18 

Fighth . . 

.do. 

Do. 

K Kojimotn 

. .do. 

20 

... .do .... 

.do. ... 

Do. 

W Wntanabe 

. .do. 

IQ 

.do .... 

.do. 

Do. 

H Tanaka 

... .do. 

17 

. ... do .... 

.do. 

Do. 

B Hnitima 

.. do. 

IS 

Seventh.. 

.do. 

Do. 

T Tanaka . 

Redding primary. 

12 

Fifth. 

.do. 

Girl. 

T Takada 

. do. 


.do_ 

.do. 

Boy. 

TVT Takacd . 

. .do. 

7 

Third .... 

.do. 

Girl. 

F China" 7 . 

.do. 

8 

.do .... 

.do. 

Do. 

K Muneno. 

.. . do. 

8 

.do.... 

.do. 

Boy. 

B. Nakada. 


7 

.do ... 

United States .... 

Do. 

J. Nakada. 

.do. 

Q 

Fourth ... 

.do. 

Do. 

T. Yamabata. 

.do. 

IT 

.do.... 

Japan . 

Do. 

H Nakana. 

. . .do . 

IO 

Second... 

... .do. 

Girl. 

S. Otani . 

.do. 

10 

.do.... 

United States .... 

Do. 

H. Suzuki. 

.do. .. 

12 

.do .... 

.do. 

Do. 

S Takahashi. 

.do. 

8 

.do .... 

.do. 

Do. 

H Otani. 

.do. 

8 

.do .... 

.do. 

Do. 

K Takada . 


12 

Fifth. 

Jana 11. 

Boy. 

I. Nikuni. 

.do. 

8 

First . 

.do. 

Girl. 

W. Suzuki . 

.do. 

II 

.do_ 

.do. 

Do. 

M. Yoshimura. 

.... do. 

6 

.do .... 

United States .... 

Do. 

K. Matsuda. 

.do. 

8 

.do ... 

.do. 

Do. 

S Yoshimura. 

.... do. 

6 

..do_ 

.do. 

Do. 

M. Aoki. 


IT 

Fourth .. . 

Japan . 

Bov. 

K, Aoki. 


10 

.do .... 

.do. 

Girl. 

T. Takada. 

.do. 

10 

.do .... 

... do. 

Boy. 

T Yadabe. 

.do. 

II 

.... do .... 

.do. 

Do. 

J. Yano. 

Spring Valiev grammar. 

IQ 

Sixth. 

.do. 

Do. 

F. Ogawa.'. 

.do. 

14 

Eighth ... 

.do. 

Do. 






I. Agi. 

Sutro grammar. 

17 

.do .... 

.do. 

Do. 

F Tachimi. 

Winfield Scott primary. 

IT 

Fourth .. . 

United States . .. . 

Do. 

S. Tachimi. 

.do. . 

IO 

Third .... 

... .do. 

Do. 

S. Tachimi. 

.do. 

7 

First . 

.do. 

Do. 

T. Yatabe. 

Marshall primary. 

8 

Second .. . 

.do. 

Do. 








Resume of Japanese attending public schools in San Francisco as mentioned in the 

foregoing com m un ication . 


Number of pupils . 93 

Number of schools they attended. 23 

Number of pupils at— 

6 years old. 2 

7 years old. 5 

8 years old. 9 

9 years old. 3 

10 years old. 7 

11 years old. 5 

12 3^ears old. 8 

13 years old.; . 7 

14 years old. 4 

15 years old. 10 

16 years old. 9 

17 years old. 12 

18 years old. 6 

19 years old. 4 

20 years old. 2 
















































































































































































































’upils Schools the Japanese Pupils 
Residences or P 
Figures in 


"0**19 Mnm CO-. WASHINGTON 

























































































































































































































































































































































































































































JAPANESE IN THE CITY OE SAN FRANCISCO, CAL. 


19 


Number of pupils at— 

First grade. 

Second grade. 

Third grade. 

Fourth grade. 

Fifth grade. 

Sixth grade. 

Seventh grade. 

Eighth grade. 

Number of pupils born in— 

Japan . 

United States. 

Number of— 

Girls. 

Boys. 


7 

10 
12 

16 

11 

13 

7 

17 

68 

25 

28 

65 


Exhibit C. 

[Translation.—From the Japanese American of October 31, 1906. | 

WELCOME TO HONORABLE METCALF. 

Honorable Secretary of the Department of Commerce and Labor is to arrive here 
early this morning, and we chose this occasion as the best opportunity to express 
our hearty welcome and satisfaction. 

It is indeed to be regretted that the historic relation of the two nations, sealed 
and stamped with such untarnished friendship and brotherhood amounting, as we 
may safely assume, to virtual alliance, is now imperilled by the short-sighted actions 
of the political demagogues whose eyes can never see anything but the attainment 
of the selfish ambition thru the whims of ignorant laborers. Among countless meas¬ 
ures of injustice and prejudice the question of separate schools is of supreme impor¬ 
tance. The injurious effects of this discrimination are very wide and far-reaching. 

Firstly, the measure is a virtual exclusion of Japanese from the only wholesome 
means of assimilating themselves to American life. Japanese in this country want 
to adopt American life in its best and most real spirit, and no better means can be 
had to this end than the association of children in schools. The exclusion of 
Japanese children from the public schools, and their banishment from the society 
of American children, is decidedly against the welfare of this country just as much 
as it is against the interest of the Japanese colony itself. 

Secondly, the separation of the schools is in fact a measure to prohibit the educa¬ 
tion of Japanese children. To walk over miles of desolation thru the burned dis¬ 
trict every day, among every possible form of danger, is indeed an impossible task 
even for the strongest adult. But suppose they do it, what benefit can they attain 
by attending a school such as now actually provided by the board of education? 
We do not enter into a detailed description, as the facts talk louder than the voice. 

Thirdly, the measure constitutes a gross violation of the treaty rights. It is dis¬ 
crimination and injustice, indignity and disgrace in every sense and spirit. 

The movement is, however, local. It is an intrigue of the corrupt politicians, 
who have stirred up the innocent ignorant masses to sentimental agitation for the 
simple purpose of using them as political tools. We know well that such is not 
the general sentiment of the American people. We still trust the United States as 
our most confidential ally. And this, our belief, has been simply proved by the 
steps and measures taken by the President, to whom our respect and reverence can 
never be sufficiently exprest. 















20 


JAPANESE IN THE CITY OF SAN FRANCISCO, CAL. 


The Secretary, in his personality, is the type of the true Californian and of the true 
American. His knowledge of the real conditions of the State can never be disputed. 
Now he comes here with the heavy task of investigating the real grounds of the pres¬ 
ent controversy. We trust him to find a successful solution of the impending diffi¬ 
culties. The Japanese colony here, under the prejudice of the public authorities, is 
utterly powerless to redress its own grievances. We rely on the sense of justice 
and reasons inspired by the highest sense of humanity. Our hope of salvation and 
for the destiny of the entire Japanese colony here in California hinges upon the way 
in which this controversy is settled. 

[From the Soko Shimbun, October 26, 1906.] 

eet the WORED know. 

In order to have a fair judgment concerning the segregation of the Japanese chil¬ 
dren from the public schools in San Francisco, it is better to let all the nations know 
the situation of the Japanese on the Pacific coast. We know there are people who 
believe that we are not entitled to enjoy equal rights on account of being Japanese. 
But we feel assured that the majority of people whose minds are not contaminated 
with trickery and falsehood would decline to listen to such selfish confidence in a 
superiority which results to their own advantage. We protest against the line of 
arguments used and denunciations made by labor orators who endeavor to draw a 
clear-cut distinction implying that the Japanese physically and mentally are inferior 
to white people. 

The people of Japan, living under their gentle government, can not allow the 
people of San Francisco to discriminate against innocent school children on the pre¬ 
text of racial difference. It is the foundation of our civilization and of our ideals to 
enjoy the blest liberty of equal rights. We can not keep the mass of the people 
of Japan in dense ignorance of the prevailing situation, nor oppress the little inno¬ 
cent creatures with such unbearable burdens. The telegrams from our foreign 
office are significant, in that the nation, as a wdiole, is deeply interested in the 
matter of the treatment received in the hands of the educational authority in San 
Francisco. 

Altho the hearts and wishes of our people rest with the people of America in the 
hope of fair adjustment of the present complication, yet the people of Japan are at 
the climax of indignation. We believe it is not time for us to take any revenging 
measures, but we must defend ourselves against the insolence of excluding our 
children from the public schools in San Francisco. The question may be well set¬ 
tled by referring the matter of pertinent opinions of the leading publicists of the 
world. 

[From the Japanese American, October 25, 1906.] 

OUR NATIONAE DIGNITY BESMEARED—TO ARMS, OUR COUNTRYMEN! 

To be candid in the matter, we confidently expected that in reply to the protest of 
our Imperial Majesty’s consul in re separate school, the San Francisco board of 
education would render a solution that is, in the main, satisfactory to us. Grant¬ 
ing that the members of the board have neither the intellectual nor moral capacity 
to grasp the straight-formed wherefores of the consul’s protest, we, nevertheless, 
thought it was not unreasonable in us to hope that in view of the overwhelming 
public opinion in Japan, in view of the inalienable friendship and comity existing 
between the two nations, in view of the undisputed status of our Empire in the 
family of the great powers—of all of which the board is supposed to have some 
knowledge—the board would favor us at least with a formality of reconsideration. 
And what manner of answer did we receive? 

Not only did they fail to give us a shadow of satisfaction, but, relying upon the 
ambiguous provision of the political code, they most insolently ignored the legitimate 


JAPANESE IN THE CITY OF SAN FRANCISCO, CAL. 


21 


protestations of our imperial consul. And from the broadsides of the local yellow 
journalism it would seem that our national prestige is daily dwindling away. 

The calamity of the poor little creatures may be borne; the disgrace of Japanese 
residents in America may be endured; but—but let none on earth or in heaven 
trifle with the honor of our beloved Empire; let none with impunity treat slightingly 
our national dignity—the indispensable foundation of our national existence. 

The school question of San Francisco may seem to some a matter of insignificance; 
but viewed in the light of a nation’s dignity it is a question of most far-reaching 
consequences. Upon it depends our country’s status in the estimation of the world; 
upon it depends the very existence of our Empire. 

Patriotism demands the maintenance of our dignity pure and unassailed. And 
every loyal Japanese must aver himself presently with the weapon of righteousness 
in order to repel the assaults of the detainers. 

The question is no longer confined to a handful of school children; it has assumed 
into national proportions. We doubt not for a moment that every resident Japanese, 
backed by the sympathetic outburst at home, will participate in the struggle with 
that vigor and tenacity which have won for us the heights of Nanshan and the 
impregnable redoubts of 208-Meter Hill. 

[From the New World, October 25, 1906.] 

THE GENERAE MASS MEETING. 

What manner of meeting is this, that is held in the midst of mountainous ashes, 
fanned by the vernal breezes that threaten to devour the wasted lands of the Golden 
Gate? It is the ebullition of 70,000 dauntless heroes that hail from the blessed land 
of Yamato burning with the fire of indignation and clamoring for instant retaliation. 

What, then, is the cause of all this turmoil that sways the ranks of the Japanese? 
The story is long, but the time is short. Their property has been plundered; their 
lives and limbs imperiled; their national flag daubed with mire! By inmates of 
insane asylums that had escaped the notice of the guards? No ! No! by organized 
mobs and officials of an organized community! 

Personal indignities may be overlookt; property right may be invaded with im¬ 
punity; but when national dignity is called to question the sword of Masamune is 
unsheathed for action! 

Dulce est pro patria mori! 

[From the Soko Shimbuu, October 25, 1906.] 

RETALIATION. 

The separate school and restaurant questions are certainly examples of flagrant 
violation of the treaty of 1894. The State authorities having taken no adequate 
measures to suppress such wrongdoing, they must certainly bear the responsibility, 
and may, so far as we are concerned, be deemed as wrongdoers themselves. What 
are we to do under the circumstances? 

One of the home newspapers is reported to advocate immediate retaliation against 
America and American goods. Would such procedure be a wise one? It is true that 
our military and naval forces are able to cope with any adversary on the Pacific to¬ 
day. But we must even keep in mind that our martial prowess is not an instrument 
for destroying international friendships of long standing. 

Fifty-four years ago, when onr country entered the family of nations, America 
acted as our godfather, and for the last half century the growing intimacy was never 
for a moment questioned. 

Let us not, then, act rashly in any attempt to sever the ties of this deep-rooted 
amity. Let us confide in the justice of the American Government. When such 
amicable settlement is unattainable, then, and then only, should we talk of 
retaliation. 


22 


JAPANESE IN THE CITY OF SAN FRANCISCO, CAL. 


[From the Soko Shimbun, October 23, 1906.] 

THE) manifesto of the generae mass meeting OF THE JAPANESE COEONY. 

Any important question which concerns our welfare should be settled by public 
opinion. The opinion of an individual or small minority should have no weight in 
settling serious affairs. 

****** * 

The school question and the boycott of Japanese restaurants in San Francisco 
would seem to a casual observer to be of a trivial nature, affecting only a small por¬ 
tion of our people in San Francisco; but one will soon realize that the questions at 
issue are great problems of national importance when he considers its causes, the 
motives, and the effects upon our future development at home and abroad. Any 
unnecessary delay would inevitably tend to aggravate the situation. 

It is needless to repeat here how long we have been suffering under such unjust 
treatment and unfair discrimination at the hands of public officials as well as of 
private individuals in San Francisco. 

Our occupations are hampered, our residences are assailed, our lives and property 
unprotected, the dignity of our Empire impaired, international comity toward our 
Empire ignored. Can we, under such conditions, claim that we are the subjects of 
Japan, with which the United States is on the most cordial terms? 

We have suffered much hitherto without murmuring, but incessant persecutions, 
after the terrible experiences of the earthquake, have placed us in the last extremi¬ 
ties of endurance. If ever there was a time when patience ceased to be a virtue, 
this certainly is that time. 

Under such circumstances we should not depend on our consul or on the Japanese 
Association of America alone, but we, Japanese residents in California, should stand 
together and take concerted action against the most unjustifiable treatment at the 
hands of the unscrupulous elements in California. As a first step let us have a gen¬ 
eral mass meeting of our colony in order to shape public opinion among us. 

Then let us proceed to inform our Government, as well as the people at home, of 
the exact situation. At the same time let us appeal to the sober-minded citizens of 
the United States and, first of all, to the Chief Executive of the United States, the 
undaunted friend of the opprest and suffering. The proposed mass meeting should 
be as representative in character as possible, and every corner of California should be 
equal to the occasion. Let every delegate pour out his heart’s contents without 
shirk or reservation. 


[From the Japanese American, October 31, 1906.] 

greeting to secretary metcaef. 

The Honorable Secretary Metcalf, of the Department of Commerce and Labor, 
will arrive here to-morrow. We greet him with great honor. We consider his 
coming to San Francisco as a favor extended to us by the Government of the LTnited 
States. We hope that the opportunity will soon be afforded to us to express our 
great gratitude for the Secretary’s personal effort for the impartial investigation of 
the present deplorable conditions in this city and the attitude of the latter toward 
our people, especially toward our children, who have recently been expelled from 
the public schools. Finally, we desire to express our solicitude for his health during 
his long journey. 

The friendly relations which existed between the United States and Japan ever 
since Commodore Perry’s first visit to our native country are so brotherly and sin¬ 
cere that they are generally accepted by the whole world as an unwritten alliance 
between the two nations. We are always proud of this fact, but to our great regret 
the local authorities of the city of San Francisco, in order to court favor with the 
Union Labor party, has taken hasty action against a people of a friendly nation. 


JAPANESE IN THE CITY OF SAN FRANCISCO, CAL. 


28 


We believe that there are many reasons which support the objection of having 
separate schools for our children. Among them the following are the most important 
which will attract serious consideration: 

First. The separate school will greatly deter the Americanization of our children. 
Americans, as a nation, are a people composed of all the nationalities of the world, 
and the Japanese, too, since they have come to live on the American soil, will be 
and should be Americanized under the influence of American civilization. Further¬ 
more, the Japanese children who are involved in the present question are mostly 
American natives, and therefore are destined to be first-class citizens of the United 
States at maturity. Should the authorities refuse to educate these children under 
the principle of Americanization, it will surely bring deplorable results to the very 
foundation of the nation. 

Second. The action taken by the board of education is a hostile one against Jap¬ 
anese, and hence the separate school is, in fact, by no means as adequately provided 
as other schools. Even if this were true it would be impossible for every Japanese 
child in the city to go to one special school from every direction and from great 
distances. In other words, it seems a complete refusal of education to the Japanese 
children. 

Third. The action taken by the board of education is the refusal to recognize a 
right already conceded under the existing treaty between the United States and 
Japan. Under this treaty we, the Japanese in the United States, are entitled to 
receive similar treatment with the subjects of Great Britain, France, Germany, Aus¬ 
tria-Hungary, and Italy; yet the city authorities have taken an action to discriminate 
against children, and at the same time receiving the children of the subjects of other 
treaty nations. It is morally a disgrace to our nation. We must stand for the 
right and dignity of our country. 

We are of the opinion, however, that the public sentiment of the United States is 
not in sympathy with the action taken by the San Francisco board of education. 
The historical friendship existing between the United States and Japan is not so 
easily to be forgotten. No one on earth has greater confidence in the sincerity and 
uprightness of the President of the United States than the Japanese. Secretary Met¬ 
calf is the man who knows the people of this coast better than any other man. Here 
rests our confidence in his coming to this coast to investigate all conditions and 
affairs. We have withdrawn a lawsuit against the board of education from the cir¬ 
cuit court in order to express our confidence in the coming of the Secretary and his 
Government’s action. We greet the honorable Secretary with great hope and the 
confidence of a child in his parent. 

[From the Japanese Daily New World, October 31, 1906.] 

INVESTIGATIONS BY THE secretary OF commerce AND eabor. 

Secretary Metcalf, of the Department of Commerce and Labor, has already left 
Washington for San Francisco. The main purpose of his present trip is said to be 
an investigation into the true condition of affairs in regard to the segregation of 
Japanese school children. 

The Japanese on the Pacific coast have on innumerable occasions been subjected 
to most intolerable indignities and persecutions, but never before did the incidents 
receive any direct investigations at the hands of the Federal Government. 

President Roosevelt is a man of great wisdom and unquestioned rectitude. In the 
bright pages that adorn the history of the nation he has ever worked for the inter¬ 
ests of the Republic and the cause of humanity—ever in the path of righteousness. 
Never in his brilliant career has he been moved by personal bias or racial prejudice, 
and it is not difficult to surmise that the present mission of Secretary Metcalf was 
prompted by the same love of justice that has won for him the admiration of the 


24 


JAPANESE IN THE CITY OF SAN FRANCISCO, CAL. 


world. And the Chief Executive did not err in his choice of his personal represent¬ 
ative, for the holder of the portfolio of Commerce and Labor is said to be one of the 
ablest and greatest men that California ever produced. 

With a thoro investigation by such a fearless man as Secretary Metcalf, the 
unpardonable misrepresentations concerning the Japanese will undoubtedly receive 
full ventilation, and it is our paramount duty to furnish him with true accounts of 
the existing conditions. 

[From the Japanese American, October 27, 1906.] 

ATTITUDE OF OUR PEOPLE TOWARD THE SCHOOL PROBLEM. 

The segregation of the Japanese school children from the public schools in San 
Francisco is a menace to the prestige of our Empire and a great insult to Japanese. 
Even if we should admit that the segregation does not affect the dignity of the 
nation, yet there are other grave reasons to which we must give serious attention, 
because it concerns the intellectual and moral development of future generations, to 
whose enlightenment all humanity, without distinction of race or color, must con¬ 
tribute its best. 

Education is the foundation of national existence. The educational system of a 
nation is an index of the degree of the civilization of that nation. We can easily 
gage the progress of a people by the ratio of its school attendance. 

Considered from every point of view, we must try our best to secure a favorable 
consummation. 

[From the Japanese American, October 27, 1906.] 

COMMENT ON JAPANESE MASS MEETING. 

A mass meeting of the Japanese residents of San Francisco, held in the Jefferson 
Square Hall on the evening before last, was an unprecedented success as a meeting 
of this kind. Not only did it attain its aim, but every member present gave serious 
consideration to the matter, preserving calmness and sobriety, notwithstanding the 
suffocating heat due to the too closely crowded hall. 

The general feature of the meeting justifies us in commending it most highly as 
worthy of the subjects of the Empire of the “Rising Sun.” 

We are quite satisfied with the attitude of our colony as regards this matter, 
and we believe there will be an immediate solution satisfactory to us. We earnestly 
hope that every one of our number will exert his best ability and all stand together 
in the .spirit of the meeting for the consummation of our purpose. 

[From the Japanese American, October 26, 1906.] 

The grand mass meeting which was held last night by the local Japanese colony 
aroused such intense concern thruout the State that numerous telegrams conveying 
the sentiments of Japanese residents have been received at headquarters. The fol¬ 
lowing are a few of them: 

1. “ Congratulate you on to-day’s mass meeting. Hope it will be a fight to the 
end. M. Tan, Santa Rosa.” 

2. “ For the protection of our general interests, fight to the bitter end against the 
unwarranted discrimination of the San Francisco officials. Will give all possible 
support. Japanese Association, Los Angeles.” 

3. “For the cause of Yamoto people fight to the utmost. D. Nisliikata, Los 
Angeles.” 

4. “Compliments to the mass meeting of the Japanese colony. Earnestly pray 
for its merited success. F. Yamasaki, secretary Branch Japanese Association.” 

5. “Fight to the bitterest end for the sake of our compatriots. G. Yuasa, Los 
Angeles Branch Japanese Association.” 


JAPANESE IN THE CITY OF SAN FRANCISCO, CAL. 25 

6. “ From the depth of our hearts we approve the general mass meeting of the 
Japanese colony and hope for its triumph. Japanese Association, Watsonville.” 

7. ‘‘We pray for the success of the mass meeting. Japanese Association, San 
Jose.” 

[Letter from lino, Los Angeles branch of the New World.] 

“Representing the readers of the New World in southern California, let me approve 
the noble purposes of the general mass meeting in regard to separate schools and 
the persecution of Japanese residents. At the same time allow me to tender a vote 
of thanks for the untiring efforts of the members of the committee. 

. “ I, A ST NIGHT’S MASS MEETING. 

“ In order to institute a systematic fight against Japanese exclusion, a grand mass 
meeting of the Japanese colony was held last evening at the Jefferson Square Hall. 
As the question at issue was a most pressing one, added to the fact that upon its 
proper solution depended our national honor and prestige, the air was filled with 
the irresistible ardor of indignation. So great, indeed, was the resentment of the 
people that long before the appointed hour there was not .standing room in the 
spacious hall. Excluding the late arrivals who jammed the corridors, the force was 
over 1,200 strong. 

“ Mr. K. Abiko, the president of the Japanese association, presided at the meet¬ 
ing. After a brief opening address he introduced Mr. G. Ikeda, the secretary of the 
association, who read the following: 

“ ‘The resolution of the San Francisco board of education segregating the school 
children of Japanese parentage is emphatically an act which besmears the dignity 
and honor of the Japanese Empire. It is a most cruel sword that cuts off the parts 
of the moral and intellectual development of these tender innocent creatures. 

“ ‘Can we, remaining lukewarm, suffer the national honor to be trampled upon— 
the honor that has cost us the noblest blood of half a million brothers? Can we 
without a murmur assent to an act which virtually demolishes the fountain head 
of our future prosperity? This is no time for idle speech. The hour of action has 
come. 

“ ‘ P'ully cognizant of the situation it is the purpose of this association, supported 
by every manly member of the community and aided by the diplomatic negotiations 
of the Imperial Government, to devise an adequate mode of procedure in order to 
raze to the ground the false breastwork of the enemy, thus forever securing to our 
children the blessings of education. 

“ ‘ Let every man in whose veins runs a single microbe of patriotism, whose love 
for his compatriots, whose affection for the tender children have not deserted him, 
let him by every means at his command contribute his share to a speedy and fair 
solution of this most stupendous question.’ ” October 25, 1906. Japanese Associa¬ 
tion of America. 

The above declaration was received with thunderous applause. Then followed 
powerful speeches by U. Suzuki, M. Tsukamoto, D. Aoki, S. Imura, Rev. K. Ki, 
Rev. N. Okubo, J. Kato, B. Yamagata, K. Kiyose, F. Tanigachi, Dr. K. Kurosawa, 
A. Matsugaki, K. Yukawa, Rev. Z. Hirota, and others. 

When the speeches were concluded Mr. Kiba, secretary of the association, read 
the opinion of Mr. T. Hozutni. Finally Mr. Togazaki introduced the following 
resolution: 

“RESOLUTION OF THE MASS MEETING OF THE JAPANESE COLONY. 

“ Resolved , That we most emphatically oppose the establishment of separate 
schools for Japanese children. (2) We delegate and charge the Japanese Associa¬ 
tion of America with the task of opposing any such attempts and to give all possible 


26 


JAPANESE IN THE CITY OF SAN FRANCISCO, CAL. 


assistance for the speedy realization of our purpose. (3) We appropriate funds for 
all necessary expenditures incident to the proper solution of this question.” 

The resolutions were adopted in the midst of deafening applause, and after three 
cheers for the Japanese residents, and also for the Empire, the meeting closed at 
10.13 P- m - 

[From the Japanese Daily New World, October 22, 1906.] 

LEGAL PROTEST AND DIPLOMATIC CONFERENCE. 

It is not true Americans, but the immigrants from Italy and other small countries 
of Europe who are desirous of excluding Japanese from California and other States 
on the Pacific coast. The antiforeign feeling in America originated sortie hundred 
years ago, when the English colonists endeavored to push the French and German 
invaders out of the land, and the French tried to kick out the Irish immigrants 
coming after them. 

Irish and Italians, thus pushed toward the western part of the United States, have 
organized a formidable body with the aid of the Spanish and Portuguese and fol¬ 
lowed the example of their predecessors in excluding oriental races. They suc¬ 
ceeded in checking the entrance of the Chinese by means of legislation. As for 
the Japanese, they thought it too difficult to treat them like Chinese, the former 
having become an important element of the international community bound by 
treaty with the United States on equal terms. Hence the idea was given up to 
exclude Japanese by means of legislation, and measures were taken to humiliate and 
persecute them at the hands of the authorities. 

The board of education at the request of these people took advantage of the letter 
of the law of the State of California and excluded the Japanese children from schools 
where white children are in attendance, upon the assumption that Japanese are of 
the Mongolian race. This conduct of the authorities is on one hand a malicious 
abuse of the friendly nation in the Orient, and on the other hand it is a manifest 
violation of the treaty made under the highest authority of the United States to 
which the authorities of the State of California and San Francisco are subject. As 
for this malicious and violent conduct of the authorities we must induce our own 
authorities to take every means to secure from the former a proper remedy for what 
has bsen done. 

[F'rom the Japanese Daily New World, October 25, 1906.] 

THE JAPANESE MASS MEETING. 

The mass meeting of Japanese residents was nothing but a congealed expression 
of wrath against the ultrachauvinism of the authorities of San Francisco. Since 
the earthquake and fire the Japanese and Korean Exclusion League has been taking 
every opportunity of persecuting our people. For the past few months the league 
did its utmost to stir up the ignorant classes and young boys against the Japanese. 
When night came these boys have been accustomed to make their appearance in 
great numbers and in many places in the Japanese quarter or adjacent to it and 
attack Japanese stores or knock down the Japanese on the streets who were passing 
by. They were so bold as to break into Japanese stores, even in daylight, and rob 
merchandise stored there. 

But the city authorities never gave ear to complaints of Japanese, who were there¬ 
fore forced to subject their fate to the will of the god. This antiforeign feeling of 
the people of California has led the authorities at last to take measures for humiliat¬ 
ing a nation friendly to America. Japan is a country with which the United States 
of America made a treaty embodying the terms of the most favored nation clause. 
But this stipulation of the treaty has been utterly violated by the hostile and unlaw¬ 
ful conduct of the board of education. Further, the majority of the people of Cali- 


27 


JAPANESE IN THE CITY OF SAN FRANCISCO, CAL. 

tornia seem to consider this conduct justifiable. The Call and the Chronicle, the 
influential papers of this city, are endeavoring to stir up the people by their vicious 
statements. 

What measure shall we take on this occasion, when everything is very unfavorable 
to Japan and Japanese? The mass meeting is the best way to decide what measure 
we Japanese residents shall take against the very barbarous conduct of the authori¬ 
ties. We are very glad to hear that the influential Japanese here are now under way 
to arrange the meeting for us. 

[From the Japanese Daily New World, October 20, 1906.] 

We are very sorry to know that Japanese children are suddenly excluded from the 
public schools because of race prejudices and forgetfulness of true Americanism. It 
is far better to let race problems be decided by eminent ethnologists rather than by 
municipal authority and politicians. If the board of education be controlled by the 
agitation of ignorant laborers rather than by true Americanism, then when the Jap¬ 
anese Exclusion League ask them to exclude Japanese children permanently from 
the public school they will do it. 

[From the Japanese American, October 13, 1906.] 

THF IMPORTANT TREND OF AFFAIRS. 

All the political parties in California have resolved that the Japanese should be 
excluded, and the candidates for the coming election show strenuous efforts in favor 
of exclusion of Japanese. It would seem that the popular opinion among the peo¬ 
ple in California is in favor of exclusion of Japanese. But it is not so in its true 
sense. 

On Augusts Representative Hayes consulted the members of “Fruit Growers’ 
Association,” inducing them to hire white laborers for picking fruit instead of the 
Japanese. He said white laborers would gladly accept the position of the Japanese. 
But the members discredited the suggestion, stating that the exclusion of the Jap¬ 
anese means the failure of fruit industry. It was further said that there are great 
difficulties in employing white laborers, for they are all under the influence of union¬ 
ism, which is detrimental to the developments of the agriculture and fruit industry. 
The fact is, the term “Japanese exclusion” has become a tool in the hands of 
unscrupulous politicians. 

We must take these facts into consideration and try not to provoke the faithful 
employer of Japanese. We must be faithful and earnest also. It is onr duty to be 
proud of being efficient laborers and show them the spirit of Japanese. We have 
jio hesitation in saying that the exclusion of Japanese is detrimental to the develop¬ 
ment of the agriculture and industry in California. Don’t you see the reason why 
the people in San Jose and Saratoga are not in favor of the exclusion of Japanese? 
It can be plainly seen that the people foresee that the exclusion of Japanese is 
impossible. Under these circumstances we desire to bring your attention to these 
facts and let the people realize that we are earnest and faithful workers. 

[San Francisco Call, November 13, 1906.] 

THE JAPANESE DIPEOMATIC GAME. 

The tone of the person in authority lecturing an unruly child as to what is good 
for it characterizes the pronouncements of the Eastern press in relation to the treat¬ 
ment of the Japanese by San Francisco. Some of them, like the New York Evening 
Post, get real angry over the matter. The Post in the extremity of its indignation 
intimates that it is all due to the fact that General de Young wants to run for United 
States Senator. To the local mind the connection is not clear, but perhaps in New 


28 


JAPANESE IN THE CITY OF SAN FRANCISCO, CAL. 


York they have superior means of information concerning the aspirations of Cali¬ 
fornia statesmen, and especially as to the way in which these aspirations shake whole 
continents to their center and threaten to involve all America in floods of gore. 

We are not greatly alarmed at the outlook, notwithstanding the inky disturbance 
of the Eastern mind. There is about as much chance of war with Japan as there is 
of General de Young’s going to the Senate. The pending protest is nothing more 
than a pawn in the diplomatic game. It is something like the time-honored dis¬ 
pute over fisheries on the Atlantic coast. In the solemn game of diplomacy it is 
the ancient policy to cultivate and even cherish open sores. The contending dia¬ 
lecticians trade one wrangle against another. The Newfoundland fisheries quarrel, 
for instance, is equal to one Alaska boundaries dispute. Such is the arithmetic of 
diplomacy. Great Britain and the United States have arrived at the conclusion that 
this kind of diplomacy is rather silly, and they are closing the old disputes wherever 
possible. 

But Japan wants an offset to our claim that American trade is not being fairly 
treated in Manchuria. Further, the Japanese do not want extreme measures taken 
against their seal poachers in the Aleutian Archipelago. In default of a better argu¬ 
ment, they have picked up this absurd and technical plea that Japanese “children” 
meet with discrimination in the public schools of San Francisco. 

There is no discrimination. The segregation of Japanese students in one school is 
a police regulation due to the fact that they are not children in the true sense. As a 
rule they range in years from 15 to 25. It is not fit that they should be permitted to 
associate with children of average school age, and it will not be permitted. 

[San Francisco Chronicle, November 11, 1906.] 

OUR JAPANESE COUONY—HAWAII ALREADY DOMINATED BY AN ASIATIC 

CIVIEIZATION. 

Out of 154,001 inhabitants found in the Hawaiian Islands in 1900 but 28,819 were 
Caucasians. There were 86,728 Asiatics, of whom 61,111 were Japanese. The 
remainder were of the perishing island races. Of the male population over 18 years 
of age, 63,444 were Asiatics, out of a total of 85,136, and of these, 43,753 were Japa¬ 
nese. From 1900 to 1905 the arrivals of aliens in the islands were 48,086 Asiatics and 
1,726 of all other nationalities. Of the Asiatics, 38,029 were Japanese. The depart¬ 
ures of Asiatics, however, during that period exceeded the arrivals by 4,421, and the 
departures of Japanese exceeded the arrivals by 4,284. Of the 42,313 Japanese who 
left Hawaii between June 30, 1900, and December 31, 1905, an unknown number— 
larger than 20,641—came to the Pacific coast. This was in opposition to the efforts 
of the Japanese consul, acting under orders from the Japanese Government. The 
Japanese are getting to be regardless even of their own Government, and with 
increasing vigor express their determination to go where they please. As matters 
now stand, the Chinese population is decreasing, the Koreans are increasing, and 
the Japanese probably about hold their own, their tendenc}^ being to make Hawaii a 
halfway house to this coast, rigorous and systematic recruiting being evidently in 
progress. 

The total result of the oriental movement has been to produce a great dearth of 
labor on the sugar plantations, with a corresponding decrease of profit in their opera¬ 
tion. Not only are higher wages paid than formerly, and better living and quarters 
furnished, but there are at times serious losses from lack of ability to get labor at 
any price. This shortage of agricultural labor is not so much due to the departure 
of orientals as to their engaging in occupations other than those for which they were 
irnported. Of those engaged in domestic service, laundries, restaurants, barber shops, 
and similar occupations 50.97 per cent were Asiatic; of those engaged in trade and 
transportation 48.68 per cent were Asiatics, and of those in mechanical pursuits 49.17 


JAPANESE IN THE CITY OF SAN FRANCISCO, CAL. 


29 


per cent. Of the total engaged in gainful occupations 75.63 per cent were Asiatic, 
the Japanese greatly preponderating. 

According to a report of the United States Commissioner of Labor, published in the 
September bulletin of the Bureau, the orientals, and especially the Japanese, are 
now in almost complete control of the clothing trades, boots and shoes, food prod¬ 
ucts, and of the production of coffee and rice. They are rapidly getting control of 
all the building trades and tin work. White mechanics are leaving the islands. In 
26 occupations for which the Territory requires licenses there were 2,529 
Chinese and Japanese license holders to 1,6290! all other nationalities. As long ago 
as 1S99 there were 753 Asiatic holders of merchants’ licenses to 360 of all other nation¬ 
alities. There is now no merchandising license required, so that exact figures can 
not be given, but the report states that the Asiatics are rapidly acquiring a monopoly 
of the smaller retail trade. They have not yet done much in the finer retail trade 
requiring large capital or in the wholesale trade, but that is coming. 

The Japanese have capital, and Japanese capitalists recognize that there is a job¬ 
bing trade all ready for them to take over. That the commerce of Hawaii will soon 
be as completely in the hands of the Chinese and Japanese as that of the Straits Set¬ 
tlements now is inevitable. The agricultural industries, except sugar, are now sub¬ 
stantially in the hands of orientals, either as tenants or owners. They are already 
beginning in the sugar industry, not as yet as owners or lessees, but as contractors 
for the production of cane. As the Japanese, whenever they are ready, can com¬ 
mand both the capital and technical skill, it seems inevitable that the entire sugar 
industry will in time pass into their hands—at first as contractors, next as lessees, 
and finally, very likely, as owners. It seems inevitable because a race which will 
work long hours and have a low standard of life can, and therefore will, economically 
exterminate any race which has a high standard of life, and insists on working short 
hours. The mass of the Hawaiian population is 11011-Caucasian. Of the non-Caucas¬ 
ians the Japanese is the dominant race. No human power can long prevent the 
assimilation of the civilization of any country to that of the mass of its inhabitants. 
For all practical purposes Hawaii is to-day a Japanese colony. 

What are we fighting for on this coast is that California and Oregon and Washing¬ 
ton shall not become what the Territory of Hawaii now is. If the Japanese are per¬ 
mitted to come here freely nothing can prevent that except revolution and massacre, 
which would be certain. No words can describe the intensity of the hatred with 
which the white mechanics and small merchants of Hawaii regard the Japanese, who 
have taken their work from them by doing it at prices for which they can not do it 
except by accepting the Japanese standard of life. Our workingmen hate the Jap¬ 
anese because they fear they will supplant them. The Hawaiian workingmen hate 
them because they have already been supplanted. Being but a small minority of 
the population the whites of Hawaii can not help themselves. The white men of the 
Pacific coast are determined that the Orientals shall never be enabled to do here that 
which they have already accomplished in Hawaii. It will be prevented by whatever 
measures are found necessary. 

What we are now endeavoring is to prevent it by such wise action on the part of 
our own and the Japanese Government as shall keep the races apart. Just now our 
race feeling has shown itself in the provision that the children of the races shall be 
kept separate in the schools. It is said that the Japanese will contest it in the courts, 
and if defeated there will make it an “ international question.” We trust they will 
not do so. It would be found that there is no power on earth which could compel the 
people of this State to tax themselves against their will to educate aliens whom we 
do not want here at all. To attempt to enforce the coeducation of the races in the 
face of the determined opposition of those who pay the bills would be inhuman, for 
it would result in scenes which we trust we may never witness. The example of 
Hawaii should be sufficient to assure the early passage of an exclusion act. 


30 


JAPANESE IN THE CITY OF SAN FRANCISCO, CAL. 


[San Francisco Chronicle, November 6, 1906.] 

JAPANESE IN SCHOOES—REASONS WHY THEY ARE OBJECTIONABLE TO OUR PEOPLE. 

The most prominent objection to the presence of Japanese in our public schools is 
their habit of sending young men to the primary grades, where they sit side by side 
with very young children, because in those grades only are the beginnings of 
English taught. That creates situations which often become painfully embarrassing. 
They are, in fact, unendurable. 

There is also the objection to taking the time of the teachers to teach the English 
language to pupils, old or young, who do not understand it. It is a reasonable 
requirement that all pupils entering the schools shall be familiar with the language 
in which instruction is conducted. We deny either the legal or moral obligation to 
teach any foreigner to read or speak the English language. And if we choose to do 
that for one nationality, as a matter of grace, and not to do the same for another 
nationality, that is our privilege. 

We do not know that the Japanese children are personally objectionable in grades 
composed of pupils of their own age. We do not know whether they are or not. 
There is, however, a deep and settled conviction among our people that the only 
hope of maintaining peace between Japan and the United States is to keep the two 
races apart. Whatever the status of the Japanese children while still young and 
uncontaminated, as they grow older they acquire the distinctive character, habits, 
and moral standards of their race, which are abhorrent to our people. We object to 
them in the familiar intercourse of common school life as we would object to any 
other moral poison. 

While we deny any moral or legal obligation to give, at public expense, any edu¬ 
cation whatever to any alien, and consequently if we choose to give as a matter of 
grace to one and deny it to another, we have also as a matter of grace provided 
separate schools for the Japanese. In all the Southern States separate schools are 
provided for white and colored children. To say that we may exclude our own col¬ 
ored citizens from the schools attended by white children, but shall not exclude the 
children of aliens from such schools, is not only absurd but monstrous. 

We deny that the Federal Government has any control whatever over the schools 
of this State, or any authority whatever to officially deal with them. The tenth 
amendment to the Constitution declares that “the powers not delegated to the 
United States by the Constitution, nor prohibited by it to the States, are reserved to 
the States, respectively, or to the people.” If the control of public education is not 
one of the powers by that clause expressly withheld from the Federal jurisdiction, 
then there is no such power thus withheld, and there is nothing in which the juris¬ 
diction of Congress is not supreme. Secretary Metcalf, now here, is not, as a 
United States official, entitled to any information whatever in regard to our schools. 
What is given is given as a matter of courtesy. 

Section 2 of Article VI of the Constitution of the United States says: “ This Con¬ 
stitution, and the laws of the United States made in pursuance thereof, and all 
treaties made, or which shall be made, under the authority of the United States, 
shall be the supreme law of the land.” Obviously no treaty can be made by the 
United States except under its “authority.” Any treaty made in excess of that 
authority is void in that particular. If the United States has no “authority” over 
the schools of California it can not be clothed with such authority by any contract 
of its own with a foreign nation. To suppose otherwise would be to suppose that 
the President and Senate alone could, under guise of a treaty with a foreign nation, 
usurp every power now held by any State government, and even abolish those gov¬ 
ernments. If the power of the President and Senate to enact by treaty that which 
Congress and the President can not enact by law exists, it has no limit. It does not 
exist. Therefore, whatever engagements the Federal Government may have made 
with Japan with respect to our schools—if it has made any—are utterly void. 


31 


JAPANESE IN THE CITY OF SAN FRANCISCO, CAL. 

[vSan Francisco Argonaut, November io, 1906.] 

THE JAPANESE IN OUR SCHOOES. 

After the fire of April 18 the San Francisco School Department temporarily 
housed Japanese and other Asiatic children in the schoolliouses with the white chil¬ 
dren. As soon as it was possible, however, the school board provided a separate 
building for these Asiatic children, in compliance with the school law of California. 
This led to a formal remonstrance from Tokyo thru the Japanese ambassador at 
Washington. It was followed by a protest from the Japanese consul at San Fran¬ 
cisco, and the institution of proceedings in the Federal court to compel the San 
Francisco school board to admit a Japanese pupil to be seated side by side with the 
white children in the San Francisco schools. These formal court proceedings were 
presumably with the approval of the Japanese consul, as a Japanese attorney assisted 
his learned white brother at the bar. 

President Roosevelt at once directed a dispatch to be sent bv Secretary Root to 
the Japanese Imperial Government, apologizing for the action of the San Francisco 
school authorities, and explaining that the local exigencies due to the recent 
calamity, and the present labor disturbances had probably led to this action. The 
implication in this dispatch was that the Federal Government would at once take 
steps to remove the causes complained of by the Japanese Government, and the 
corollary was that the Federal Government would thus right a wrong. Pending 
action by the Federal Government toward removing the wrongs alleged to be due 
to the action of the school officials of California, the Japanese Government has 
refrained from further action. In accordance with this same course, and probably 
at the direction of the Japanese Imperial Government, the suit brought in the Fed¬ 
eral court under the direction of the Japanese council against the San Francisco 
school board has been dismissed. 

In the meantime Secretary Metcalf, head of the Department of Commerce and 
Labor, has been sent post haste to San Francisco by President Roosevelt to investi¬ 
gate the matter. Secretary Metcalf has held conferences with the Japanese consul, 
the United States district attorney, Federal Judges Henshaw, Gilbert, and Ross, and 
the San Francisco school board. He has exprest no opinion, and has given out 
nothing for publication. As the Secretary is a discreet man, and particularly on 
these vexatious Asiatic topics, we are convinced that he will keep his own counsel 
until he reports to the President. The only significant utterance made by the Sec¬ 
retary was when he asked President Altmann how California defined the word 
“ Mongolian ” in that clause of her statute where it provides that separate schools 
shall be provided for “ Indian children ” and for “childrenof Mongolian or Chinese 
descent.” From this it is evident that the Administration will probably hold that 
the Japanese are not Mongolians. 

It seems to us that President Roosevelt need only look out of his windows to note 
that we need no more race troubles. If he goes along Pennsylvania avenue from 
the White Plouse to the Capitol he will see more negroes in a mile than he can see 
of Japanese in San Francisco in ten. Yet already ominous troubles are beginning 
here over a few score thousand Japanese. In fifteen years from now, if the Admin¬ 
istration assumes this welcoming attitude toward the east coast of Asia, we shall have 
millions of Asiatics on the west coast of America. Are not the thousands of idle and 
lazy negroes, whom President Roosevelt may see any day in Washington, an object 
lesson of the undesirability of further race problems in the United States. Yet the 
Washington negroes are far superior to the negroes of the black belt. We have had 
the negroes with us for a couple of centuries, and our troubles with them seem but 
to have begun. We have had the Japanese with us for less than half a century and 
we are having more trouble with them already on the Pacific coast than with any 
other race, not excluding the Chinese. 


32 


JAPANESE IN THE CITY OF SAN FRANCISCO, CAL. 


It was on December 18, 1865, that the thirteenth amendment to the Constitution 
went into effect abolishing slavery. It was in July, 1868, that the fourteenth amend¬ 
ment went into effect, making the negroes citizens, giving them civil rights, and 
enumerating certain of those civil rights. This amendment also cut down the repre¬ 
sentation in Congress of such States as denied to negroes the right to vote. But no 
Southern State, as a result of this penalizing, ever enfranchised the negro. It was 
on February 26, 1869, that the fifteenth amendment was proposed by Congress. It 
declared that “the right of citizens of the United States to vote shall not be denied 
or abridged by the United States or by any State on account of race, color, or previ¬ 
ous condition of servitude.” It went into effect March 30, 1870, ratified by thirty 
States. It was rejected by California, Oregon, New York, and seven other States. 

It is thirty-six years since the fifteenth amendment gave to negroes the right to 
vote. Does President Roosevelt think that negroes freely exercise the right to vote 
in the Southern States ? We do not think so. It is thirty-eight years since the 
fourteenth amendment gave to negroes civil rights. Does President Roosevelt 
think that negroes are granted equal rights in theaters, hotels, railway trains, or 
street cars in all the States, Southern or Northern? We do not think so. It may 
be said that the Federal courts can coerce the States into giving “ equal rights ” to 
the negroes. We do not think so. But if there may be those who doubt the sound¬ 
ness of our judgment, we may add that the United States Supreme Court in the cele¬ 
brated ‘ ‘ Slaughterhouse cases ’ ’ decided that the fourteenth amendment does not 
deprive the States of police powers; that court upheld the right of the States to reg¬ 
ulate their domestic affairs; it decided that there is a citizenship of the States as well 
as of the United States; it decided that the States could vest certain privileges and 
immunities with their citizens. 

This decision was opposed by many extremists, as the war feeling still ran high. 
Congress thereupon passed a measure known as “the civil rights bill,” which was 
intended to extort from the white citizens of the Southern States the recognition of 
the negroes’ “equal rights.” This law, when brought up before the Supreme Court, 
was declared to be unconstitutional. In the light of these facts, we do not believe 
that the Federal Government can coerce the State of California in this matter of its 
school laws. 

Since the fire w T e have not had at hand a copy of the treaty with Japan. It is true 
that treaties are a part of the supreme law of the land, but we do not believe that 
even the Constitution could empower the Federal Government to force Chinese or 
Japanese or other Asiatic children into the California public schools. We believe 
that the conduct of the public schools is purely a domestic matter with which the 
Federal Government has nothing to do. That Government is a government of dele¬ 
gated rights, and the States never delegated to it the right to control their public 
schools. 

But, even if this reasoning is wrong, we assure President Roosevelt, Secretary 
Root, and Secretary Metcalf that it is immaterial to the people of California what 
construction may be put on treaties and laws in so far as they affect the right to 
enter the public schools of this State. The people of California will never permit 
children of Asiatic descent to sit at the same desks and occupy the same rooms with 
their white children. The Government of the United States is powerful, but it is 
not powerful enough for that. If it should attempt to force into the public schools 
of California the children of alien, semi-servile, and pagan races, it may perhaps do 
so under the Federal law, for the citizens of this State are law abiding. But the 
attempt will only result in the sclioolhouses of this State being turned over to the 
Chinese, Japanese, Ceylonese, Filipino, and Lascar proteges of the Federal Govern¬ 
ment; and the white men and white women of California will educate their children 
in schools of their own. 


JAPANESE IN THE CITY OF SAN FRANCISCO, CAL. 

Exhibit D. 


33 


Consulate of Japan, 

1274 O’Farrell Street, 

San Francisco , Cal., October 16 , 1906. 

To the Chief of Police, 

City and County of San Francisco. 

Dear Sir: Your attention is respectfully directed to the fact that the Cooks and 
Waiters’ Union of this city, assisted and encouraged by members of the Carpenters’, 
Masons’, and Cabmen’s unions, are endeavoring to enforce a boycott against Jap¬ 
anese restaurants. Your attention is particularly called to the following: 

White Star Restaurant, at the corner of Third and Brannan streets. 

Grand Restaurant, 403 Third street. 

Port Arthur Restaurant, on Third street. 

Golden Bay Restaurant, on Third street. 

Anglosia (?) Restaurant, on Third street. 

Horse Shoe Restaurant, Folsom, near Eighth. 

Since the 2d of the present month these restaurants, which are conducted by 
Japanese, have been subjected to almost constant annoyance from the sources men¬ 
tioned. The boycotters linger about the restaurants and accost all customers who 
approach, giving them small match boxes bearing the words “White men and 
women, patronize your own race.’’ When this is not effective they frequently stand 
right in the doors of the restaurants and try to prevent customers from going in. 
On a number of occasions the windows of the restaurants have been stoned, or 
groups have gathered about the entrances in a threatening manner for the purpose 
of frightening customers away. 

As a result of these offensive methods the business of the Japanese establishments 
has greatly dropt and it is feared that they will be unable to stand such intoler¬ 
able harassing unless your department shall find means to protect them. 

I respectfully direct your attention to the matter and venture the hope that you 
may find it possible to so control the disorderly elements who are causing this 
trouble that the persons and property of Japanese business men in this city may be 
made secure. 

Trusting that some prompt action may be taken, I beg to remain, 

Yours respectfully, 

K. Uyeno, Consul of fapan. 


Consulate of Japan, 

1274 O’Farrell Street, 

San Francisco , Cal., October 18, 1906. 

To the Chief of Police, 

City and County of San Francisco , Cal. 

Dear Sir: Referring to my communication to you of the 16th instant, relative to 
the action of the Cooks and Waiters’ Union in boycotting certain Japanese restau¬ 
rants in this city, I beg to now report that I was called upon to-day, at 1.30 p. m., 
by H. Sugiyama, proprietor of the Golden Bay Restaurant, at 256 Third street. 

Sugiyama stated that between the hours of 12 and 1 o’clock his place had been 
besieged by a mob of boycotters who assaulted people entering and coming from 
his restaurant. He states that several customers were knocked down and that the 
window glass of his place were broken by stones. Twice he ran out and blew a 
police whistle, but no officer came to his assistance. In fear of his life he left the 
place and came to report the facts to me. 

I urgently ask that the matter have your prompt attention, and that steps be taken 
which will prevent the repetition of similar outrages. So violent and numerous 


S. Doc. 147, 59-2-3 




34 


JAPANESE IN THE CITY OF SAN FRANCISCO, CAL. 


have become the annoyances to which the Japanese restaurant keepers of this city 
have been subjected that they not only fear that their business will be ruined, but 
that their lives are in peril. 

Trusting that your department will take vigorous action in the matter, I remain, 
Yours, respectfully, 

K. Uyeno, Consul of Japan. 


Office Chief of Poeice, 

,' San Francisco , Cal., October 16, 1906. 

To Company Commanders: 

Complaint is made by the Japanese consul that his people are being continually 
annoyed by white persons, and in some instances assaulted and their property dam¬ 
aged. This last applies particularly to parties boycotting Japanese restaurants. 

Instruct the officers under your several commands to see that no further cause for 
complaint on these grounds be afforded the consul. 

J. F. Dinan, Chief of Police. 
San Francisco, October 29, 1906. 

To Company Commanders: 

The above order is republished for your information, with instructions to see that 
its mandates are complied with. 

J. F. Dinan, Chief of Police. 


' Office of Chief of Poeice, 

San Francisco, October / 8 , 1906. 

Hon. K. Uyeno, 

Co?isul of Japan , No. 1274 O' Farrell Street, City. 

Dear Sir: Replying to your communication of the 16th instant relative to the 
actions of certain unions in the boycotting of Japanese restaurants, would respect¬ 
fully reply that the same experience has been had by restaurant keepers of other 
nationalities, including our own, and the only manner in which the unions can be 
stopt from boycotting is by injunction proceedings in the superior court, restrain¬ 
ing them from interfering with the business of the restaurant proprietors. How¬ 
ever, your communication has been referred to the captain of the district where the 
boycotting is reported as being carried on, with instructions to see that no disturb¬ 
ance be allowed or assaults committed and that the law governing the same be 
enforced. 

Respectfully submitted. 

J. F. Dinan, Chief of Police. 


Captain’s Office, Poeice District No. 2, 

San Francisco, October 22,1906. 

J. F. Dinan, Chief of Police. 

Sir: Replying to the attached communication of the Hon. K. Uyeno, consul of 
Japan, of the 18th instant, relative to the boycotting of certain Japanese restaurants 
and the breaking of the windows at 256 Third street, will state: 

On the day the windows were broken the officer had to attend police court and 
expected to be at his place of detail before the noon hour, but was delayed and did 
not get back until after the damage was done. I have detailed an officer at each of 
the Japanese restaurants at each meal hour, and have had no trouble with the 
exception of this one instance. 

Officers have been instructed to arrest if any violation of the law is committed. 
Respectfully, 


H. H. Coeby, Captain of Police. 






.JAPANESE IN THE CITY OF SAN FRANCISCO, CAL. 


35 


Office of Chief of Poeice, 

San Francisco, October 25, 1006. 

Hon. K. UyEno, 

Consul ofJapan, No. 1274. O' Farrell Street, City. 

Dear Sir: Upon investigation of the subject contained in your communication 
of the iStli instant, we have found that all Japanese restaurant keepers in business 
in that part of the city covered by the recent fire have been assigned a detail of offi¬ 
cers to remain in the immediate vicinity of their place of business during meal hours, 
and that the one, Mr. H. Sugiyama, located at No. 256 Third street, was assaulted 
while the officer was attending court. 

In the future where an officer is assigned to such a detail and has cases in court, 
another will be sent to relieve him, so that an occurrence of this kind will be pre¬ 
vented in the future. 

Respectfully submitted. 

J. F. Dinan, Chief of Police. 


Consulate of Japan, 

San Francisco, Cal., October 26, 1906. 

Hon. J. F. Dinan, 

Chief of Police of the City and Comity of San Francisco, Cal. 

Dear Sir: I beg to acknowledge receipt of your communication of the 25th 
instant, informing me of the measures adopted by your department for the protec¬ 
tion of the Japanese restaurants, at present being boycotted by the unions of this 
city. 

I am much gratified at the assurance given me that adequate protection will be 
given in the future, and sincerely trust that the abuses to which my countrymen 
have been subjected during the last few weeks may not be repeated. 

Yours, respectfully, 

K. Uyeno, Consul of Japan. 


Exhibit E. 

Consueate of Japan, 

San Francisco, Cal., August 17, 1906. 

The Chief of Poeice, 

City and County of San Francisco. 

Dear Sir: I beg to introduce to you the bearer of this letter, Mr. R. Koba, who 
is the secretary of the Japanese Association of America, with headquarters in this 
city. I respectfully ask that you will listen to the statement which he desires to 
make concerning an assault committed upon him last evening by boys on Laguna 
street. 

In this connection I would state that one of the secretaries of consulate was also 
menaced by young roughs in the same vicinity about the same time. As unpro¬ 
voked assaults of this kind upon my countrymen have been quite frequent of late, 
I have to earnestly ask that steps be taken by your honorable department to afford 
them the protection to which they are entitled. 

Trusting that you will find it possible to do this, I beg to remain, 

Yours, respectfully, 

K. Uyeno, Consul of Japan. 


Office Chief of Poeice, 

San Francisco, Cal., August 17, 1906. 

Hon. K. Uyeno, 

Consul ofJapan, No. 1274 O' Farrell street, City. 

Dear Sir: Your communication of even date, introducing Mr. R. Koba, was pre¬ 
sented this afternoon, and his statement as to the assault on him last evening by 





36 


JAPANESE IN THE CITY OF SAN FRANCISCO, CAL. 


boys in the neighborhood of Laguna street listened to, and he was instructed as to 
what steps would be taken by this department in relation thereto, as well as advice 
given him as to the best methods to pursue for the final punishment of the guilty 
parties, not only in his own case, but any other of his countrymen who might thus 
be annoyed. 

For your information, I take the liberty of stating what was told to Mr. Koba: 

“That the company commanders of this department, thruout the city, will be 
instructed immediately to have all officers on street duty in their several districts 
pay particular attention to your people, and to see that none are molested by our 
people, young or old, and, if necessary, to detail officers in citizens’ clothes thruout 
that part of the city where such annoyances are most frequent; that Mr. Koba call 
at the office of the bond and warrant clerk, in the O’Farrell street police station, on 
O’Farrell street, west of Devisadero, where he can have what is known as John Doe 
warrants sworn out and registered at that station, after which he could have any of 
the guilty parties arrested by simply pointing them out to the first officer he saw.” 

Of course you can readily understand the difficulties at present surrounding us: 
First, the reduction of our force by nearly one-fifth; then the strikes, involving this 
unfortunate city, which, of course, calls for a large detail of officers, and last, but not 
least, the peculiar provision of our laws bearing on misdemeanor offenses, which 
requires that an officer must be an eyewitness, or else clothed with a warrant, before 
he can make an arrest of parties guilty of these classes of crime. 

Hoping that you will advise any others of your people thus assaulted as to the 
steps necessary in such cases, and, better still, that no more occasion may arise for 
such complaints, 

I beg to remain, yours, respectfully, 

J. F. Dinan, Chief of Police. 


Office Chief of Poeice, 

San Francisco , Cal., August 22, 1906. 

John Mooney, Esq., 

Captain of Police , Commanding Company £, City. 

Sir: Complaint is made by the Japanese consul that his people are being annoyed 
and in some instances assaulted by white men on the streets in your district, par¬ 
ticularly in the neighborhood bounded by Gough, Fillmore, O’Farrell, and California 
streets. 

You will therefore instruct the officers under your command to see that this is 
stopt, and if it can not be done by men in uniform, assign men in citizens’ clothes 
to accomplish the purpose. 

J. F. Dinan, Chief of Police. 

October 29, 1906. 

Captain Mooney: 

The above order is republished for your information and attention. 

J. F. Dinan, Chief of Police. 


San Francisco, October 27 , 1906. 

Hon. James L. Gaeeagher, 

Acting Mayor op the City of San Francisco. 

Dear Sir : Your attention is directly directed to the fact that during the past few 
months Japanese residents of this city have been subjected to repeated and unpro¬ 
voked assaults at the hands of hoodlums and rough characters on the streets. I 
have had occasion to call the attention of the police authorities on many occasions to 
these abuses. 




JAPANESE IN THE CITY OF SAN FRANCISCO, CAL. 


37 


Their occurrence is most frequent during the evening hours, and to such an 
extent have the abuses been carried that many of my people are intimidated and 
afraid to pursue their usual occupations. Even the members of my consular staff 
have been insulted and threatened upon the streets, and the consul himself has no 
guaranty that he would be free from annoyance and molestation when he moves 
about the city. 

In the early part of this month I submitted to the police department a detailed list 
covering seventeen assaults of this character which had taken place between the 
dates of August 5 and September 6. 

Not being able to secure thru the regular police channels the protection demanded, 
the Japanese Association of America, having headquarters in this city, has incurred 
the expense of employing several special officers to patrol the quarters most affected, 
and those officers are still retained. Notwithstanding these precautions, the com¬ 
plaints which reach this consulate show that the abuses still continue and that 
unprovoked assaults of a more or less violent character are of almost daily occur¬ 
rence. 

In this connection I would further invite your attention to the boycott at present 
being carried on by the Cooks and Waiters’ Union of this city against the keepers 
of Japanese restaurants, during the course of which many acts of violence have been 
committed and the property interests and personal safety of the Japanese proprietors 
placed in jeopardy. 

I feel quite confident that your honor will agree with me that these acts of injustice 
call for the vigorous exercise of every power of the city government for their sup¬ 
pression; and my purpose of addressing you at the present time is to ask that such 
measures be taken as will at once secure to my people in this city every right and 
privilege to which they are entitled by treaty stipulation. 

Trusting that your honor will be pleased to give this matter your earnest consid¬ 
eration and that early means may be found for the removal of all cause for com¬ 
plaint on the part of the Japanese residents, I remain, 

Yours, very respectfully, K. Uyeno, 

Consul for Japan. 


Mayor’s Office, City and County of San Francisco, 

Executive Department , October 27, 1906. 

Hon. J. F. Dinan, Chief of Police. 

Dear Sir: Inclosed please find copy of letter received at this office. Will you 
kindly call the attention of the officers to the matter contained therein, and I trust 
remedy the evil. 

Yours truly, John J. DoyeE, Mayor's Secretary. 

(The foregoing is a copy of a letter referred to this department by Acting Mayor 
Gallagher.) 

Office of Chief of Poeice, 

San Francisco , Cal., October 29, 1906. 

Hon. James L. Gaeeagher, 

Acting Mayor of the City and County of San Francisco. 

Dear Sir: lam just in receipt of your communication of the 27th instant, with 
copy of the letter from the Japanese consul, relative to the alleged assaults on his 
countrymen and the annoyances reported to him by restaurant keepers thru the 
acts of boycotters. 

In reply, beg to say that numerous complaints have been received from Mr. Uyeno 
during the past three months on these same subjects, all of which were given prompt 
attention, as per reports of the officers, copies of which are inclosed herewith for your 
information. 




38 


JAPANESE IN THE CITY OF SAN FRANCISCO, CAL. 


So that you may be fully advised oil this question, so far as the police department 
has been involved, I take the liberty of handing you herewith copies of all corre¬ 
spondence had with the Japanese consul relative thereto. 

In conclusion will state that, so far as the assaults are concerned, instructions 
were issued to company commanders to have patrolmen give protection to the Jap¬ 
anese on their respective beats. As to the restaurant keepers, an officer was assigned 
at each of the Japanese restaurants located in the burned district of the city, where, 
it was claimed, the annoyance was being carried on, with instructions to be at such 
places during mealtimes and to see that no violation of the law in any particular 
was committed. 

Owing to the unsettled conditions that have existed since the fire, it has been a 
very hard matter to afford particular attention to any one nationality, as you, as 
well as Mr. Uyeno, must certainly know that no race has been exempt from annoy¬ 
ances, as well as assaults, such as he complains of. 

Hoping that I have made myself understood in this matter, and assuring you that 
Mr. Uyeno’s people, as well as all others, will be furnished with all the protection 
it is possible for this department to afford, 

I remain, your obedient servant, 


J. F. Dinan, Chief of Police. 


Exhibit F. 

[Copy of letter of Prof. George Davidson, of the University of California, to the San Francisco 

Examiner and other papers.] 

San Francisco, fune //, 1906. 

Gentlemen: Your attention is respectfully directed to a condition of affairs 
which, I feel certain, will call forth not only your earnest protest but that of every 
fair-minded citizen who loves the good name of his city. I refer to the repeated 
insults which have been heapt upon the party of Japanese scientists, at present visit¬ 
ing this city, by boys and hoodlum gangs in the streets. 

Dr. F. Ornori, of the Imperial University of Tokyo, and one of the greatest living 
authorities in seismograpliy, was especially sent here by the Japanese Government 
to make a study of the recent disaster. He is accompanied by Dr. T. Nakamura, 
professor of architecture in the same institution, and the two are assisted by Mr. R. 
Sano and Mr. M. Noguchi. These gentlemen, in the pursuit of their investigations, 
have had occasion to visit all quarters of the city to make numerous notes and pho¬ 
tographs. It has been while so engaged that the annoyances, to which your atten¬ 
tion is drawn, have taken place. 

On Saturday forenoon last Doctor Otnori, while taking certain photographs on 
Mission street, near the post-office, was attacked by a gang of boys and young men, 
some of them wearing the livery of the postal service, and his hat was cruslit in by a 
stone as large as an egg. 

On Tuesday last Doctor Nakamura was assaulted in a similar manner while making 
an examination in the ruined district, and sand and dust were thrown over him and 
his assistants. 

Insults of a similar kind, but varying in degree, have been suffered by these gen¬ 
tlemen not less than a dozen times since they began their work in this city. 

They are naturally surprized that such treatment should be extended to friendly 
strangers, more especially in view of the extreme courtesy and kindness with which 
they have been received by the official scientists and representative men of this 
community. 

While I recognize the fact that acts of this kind are not countenanced by the better 
element of the people, and that it is extremely difficult to control the acts of irre- 



JAPANESE IN THE CITY OF SAN FRANCISCO, CAL. 


39 


sponsible hoodlums, I believe that something may and should be done to create a 
public sentiment which will frown down the rougher element which in this vicious 
way brings disgrace upon the community. 

George Davidson, 

Professor of the University of California. 


[Copy of letter of the postmaster of San Francisco to Dr. F. Omori.] 


Sir: I am informed by Mr. Giichi Aoki, in a communication under date of June 9, 
that you were subjected to certain indignities on the public streets of this city at the 
hands of boys employed in the San Francisco post-office. 

Immediately upon the receipt of this information I instructed my personal repre¬ 
sentative to call at the headquarters of the Japanese Association of America and 
express to you my deep regret that any employees of the postal service should have 
conducted themselves toward a visiting foreigner in a manner unbecoming Ameri¬ 
cans, and particularly servants of this Government. I further regret that my repre¬ 
sentative was unable to see you personally and offer to you directly my apologies, 
for the misconduct on the part of the employees of my office. 

The matter is receiving careful investigation at my hands, and I assure you that 
when the names of the boys guilty of this outrage are definitely ascertained they 
will be immediately dismissed from the public service. 

Again regretting the necessity for this communication, 

I beg to remain, very respectfully yours, 


, Postmaster. 


(Sent in care of Japanese Association of America.) 


[Copy of a letter of Mayor E. E. Schmitz, of San Francisco, to Dr. F. Omori and Dr. T. Nakamura.] 

San Francisco, Cad ., fune 21,1906. 

GEnTEEMEn: I have learned thru the daily press that you were stoned by some 
hoodlums, while in pursuance of your investigations relative to the destruction of 
our public buildings by the earthquake. I am very sorry, indeed, that you should 
have received such treatment at the hands of any of our people here in San Fran¬ 
cisco, and assure you that every effort will be made in order that no recurrence of 
the act may take place. 

I know, as reasonable men, that you appreciate the fact that it is impossible for the 
authorities to absolutely prevent anything of this kind happening. It might have 
happened to you in any other country, and it might happen to me, but I wish here 
to officially express my regret for the occurrence of the outrage, and assure you that 
I will do everything in my power to have whatever amends you desire. 

Very truly, yours, 

E. E. Schmitz, Mayor. 

(Sent in care of Pacific Japanese mission.) 


Executive Department, State of Caeifornia, 

Sacramento , June 21 , 1906. 

Rev. Dr. Herbert B. Johnson, 

2 42S Milvia street, Berkeley , Cal. 

Dear Sir: I received your letter of June 18, and have written to both Dr. F. 
Omori and Dr. T. Nakamura, and have exprest to those eminent gentlemen my 
sincere regrets for the recent unfortunate occurrences. 

Very truly, yours, 


George C. Pardee. Governor. 







40 


JAPANESE IN THE CITY OF SAN FRANCISCO, CAL. 


Executive Department, State of California, 

Sacramento, June 21, 1906. 


Dr. F. Omori (care of Herbert B. Johnson, D. D.), 

2428 Milvia street , Berkeley , Cal. 

Dear Sir: Altho I have no official knowledge of the matter, I am unofficially 
informed that certain indignities of a personal nature were offered to you in the city 
of San Francisco. 

Our laws do not permit the governor of the State to take any official action in such 
cases, which are directly under the authorities of the cities or counties in which they 
occur. 

Personally and officially I desire to assure you that the assaults upon you meet 
with reprobation of all good citizens of this State; and I sincerely hope that the 
wanton act of young hoodlums will not be taken by yourself or your Government 
as reflecting the disposition and sentiments of even the small minority of the people 
of my State in whose name I apologize to you for the unfortunate occurrence. 

Hoping that you will not judge San Francisco (for whose sorely stricken citizens 
your Government and people so promptly extended such great sympathy and mate¬ 
rial aid) by the utterly inexcusable actions of the persons who so wantonly assaulted 
you, I am, 

With great respect, very truly, yours, 


George C. Pardee, 

Governor of California. 


Eureka, July 7, 1906. 

Dr. F. Omori, 

Professor of Seismology, Imperial University of Tokyo, Japan. 

Sir: As the representatives of the executive authorities of the city of Eureka, 
and with full confidence that he is representing the undivided and unanimous senti¬ 
ment of the citizens of this city, the undersigned begs to deplore the ruffianly and 
inexcusable assault committed upon your person last evening in this city. 

That this assault was the result of unfortunate mistake due to the labor troubles 
now prevailing on this coast does not in any wise excuse its heinousness and brutal¬ 
ity; and the writer, in offering you on behalf of this community a full apology for 
the regrettable occurrence, wishes to express his sincere desire to make to you any 
possible amends and to assure you that the people of this community do not uphold 
nor countenance such outrages and unlawful acts, but on the contrary deeply deplore 
the unfortunate occurrence. 

Trusting that your further stay in this community will be free from disagreeable 
incidents and will result in your securing valuable information on the subject now 
interesting you, I beg to express to you my distinguished consideration and to sub¬ 
scribe myself, 

Yours, most respectfully, A. W. Torrey, 

Mayor of the City of Eureka. 


o 


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